I've lost the password to my Windows Administrator account, how do I get it back?

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Hi Leo,

I found another way. I logged in as Administrator in Safe Mode and was able to change the password there. Alot easier!

I didn't know that this worked with Vista as well - useful to note.

I have found that some times it doesn't always work and for some reason you need to restart the computer and try it twice (or even three times occasionally) before it finally works. When it doesn't work it usually seems to give an error message explaining why but I found that restarting the computer and trying again seemed to work if you persevere.

I try to make it harder for anyone to do by password protecting the BIOS and setting the boot order to not allow the CD or removable drives. That way it will be harder and take more time for anyone else to do. If I need to boot from the CD or USB drive I know the password for the BIOS and can quickly alter the boot order to allow CDROM as the first boot device. But always remember to change it back before leaving the machine. You can't always prevent a determined 'hacker', but you can slow them down. Usually they'll go look for an easier mark.

To Harold Rossi: Defeating BIOS password protection is even faster than the operations described in the article here -- a cracker can open up your PC and short-circuit a jumper on the motherboard (or remove the battery from it... there are a few different specs, but all PCs have something like it), which will clear the BIOS password and reset all its settings to the defaults.

The moral holds -- if someone with malicious intent has physical access to your PC, the data on it is not safe. Products like TrueCrypt (I think that was the name... the one Leo's mentioned a few times) will secure your data -- for a time. Given enough time, a determined attacker will defeat even those.

In short, if you want your data to be secure, don't write it down, don't put it on a computer, and never mention it to anyone. Anything else can be broken.

I have another alternate solution for this issue.
We can also use Windows Password reset disk if created and noot the system through the disk and reset the password.
If no password reset disk then we can boot the system to safe mode and reset the password there.
It will work in Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Vista.

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Most people don't make a Windows Password reset disk for
their system, and I believe you must create it before you
need it.

Also, booting into safe mode is great - *if you know the
password*. The whole point here is that you do not know that
password. Booting into safe mode still requires that you log
in. No password, no login.

Leo

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is this utility also work with windows xp and win 2003 server etc

Another good solution is to download Ophcrack. This is a self running bootable that actually cracks the password and hands it to you. All within 15 minutes. Everyone should put this in their toolkit - and practice a bit.

As the one gentleman said, bios passwords are pretty easy to get around. Some laptops will have to go back to the factory though, and you'll be charged a 100.00 or so. Staying away from bios passwords, is a good idea.
Packrat1947

why not "run" control userpasswords2???

Try anything you like but, the moral is that man makes it and man can break it (password,code,etc)Lucky for me I was raised B4 computers and still know how to use a pencil and paper.I started with computers (work) back in the DOS days and there has always, and will always be a way to get your so called "secure" info.I NEVER put anything on a computer unless I am willing to let the world see it,this has served me well. Those are my thoughts.........thanks.
Miklo

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