windows password

[dieselboy]

OK!

1. Download this!

TechDirecT Password Remover

2. Burn it to a CD as an IMAGE/ISO! (very Important!)

3. BOOT your PC from it!

4. Follow on screen instructions!

5. Done!

Gary

+1 - i knew this existed but i have never used it.

ALSO,
if someone was to put the hard disk into another pc, 99.99% of the time, you can copy ALL their files from the old disk, then wipe and re-install windows, and then copy all their stuff back once they have a profile created. i used to do this all the time in me old job.

somone in a previous post said they took their pc into repair and they were told they would lose everything - rubbish. repair shop are wingers!

[J_D]

Alternatively boot it into safe mode (press F8 to get to the options menu to select safe mode) and use "Administrator" as the user and no password. This is enabled by default in XP at least, not had to try with Vista.

Obviously once you're logged on as administrator you can remove the password.

[hellmett]

Alternatively boot it into safe mode (press F8 to get to the options menu to select safe mode) and use "Administrator" as the user and no password. This is enabled by default in XP at least, not had to try with Vista.

Obviously once you're logged on as administrator you can remove the password.

Of course you can't!

You have to know the password in order to remove it!

NT Passwords are encrypted throughout the whole PC, files and folders etc. of the user.

If removing a password was so easy, then what is the point of having them in the first place?

Please, just use the software I gave you.

It works 100%, a lot of other "mickey mouse" software will rip your OS up!

I know, I work in computers!

[MattF]

This disc may also be useful:

http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/

It has a password reset utility and other utilities for checking hardware and performing various functions/diagnostics.

[jmc]

Of course you can't!

You have to know the password in order to remove it!

NT Passwords are encrypted throughout the whole PC, files and folders etc. of the user.

If removing a password was so easy, then what is the point of having them in the first place?

Please, just use the software I gave you.

It works 100%, a lot of other "mickey mouse" software will rip your OS up!

I know, I work in computers!

You do not need to know a user password in order to remove it IF you are logged in as an Administrator level account.

In J_D's case I suspect that when Windows was being installed on his computer and it asked for an admin password, the box was left blank. His solution will only work in that scenario.

Anyway, the bootable CD option is quick and easy so go with that!

[J_D]

Whilst I'm sure the CD will work (never used it but I'm happy to take your word for it) I still maintain that windows enables a default admin account without a password. Any sys-admin running windows boxes will have changed this default password but *most* 'ordinary' users won't have. I've used it on a number of my mate's pcs in exactly the same conditions. As jmc points out, an admin user doesn't need to know a password to reset or remove one.

The below give a few more details on accessing this account:
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/admins.htm
http://www.ncsu.edu/resnet/windows/p...ords_admin.php

edit: Having re-read jmc's post, yes it does rely on the password being left as a default blank on install - just in my experience this is how most computers are left.

[Albannach]

OK!

1. Download this!

TechDirecT Password Remover

2. Burn it to a CD as an IMAGE/ISO! (very Important!)

3. BOOT your PC from it!

4. Follow on screen instructions!

5. Done!

Gary

I've used that countless times, it's a great wee thing. Made a fair few quid using it!

The IT Monkeys say it can't be done because they can charge more to allegedly "fix" it. In reality, they'll probably use the above but charge you more...

[hellmett]

You do not need to know a user password in order to remove it IF you are logged in as an Administrator level account.

In J_D's case I suspect that when Windows was being installed on his computer and it asked for an admin password, the box was left blank. His solution will only work in that scenario.

Anyway, the bootable CD option is quick and easy so go with that!

If you can do this then the PC isn't really locked then?

If you can log into a PC using the admin account or another administrator account why would you need to reset or remove the password?

Also, quite a few computers have the admin account disabled by default so this option isn't gonna work!

You'll find that quite a few PC's that have been bought OEM have the admin account disabled.

Also, a lot of people unwittingly use the admin account as their own!

I do it all the time, instead of creating a new user account with admin priviledges I just use the windows administrator account, this is why sometimes the "log onto the admin" account trick doesn't work!

[hellmett]

I've used that countless times, it's a great wee thing. Made a fair few quid using it!

The IT Monkeys say it can't be done because they can charge more to allegedly "fix" it. In reality, they'll probably use the above but charge you more...

Half of them wouldn't have a clue how to do it either!

I used it many, many times!

Not only to remove a forgotten password but sometimes to remove all the passwords on a PC with multple accounts so that it is easier to work on.

[jmc]

If you can do this then the PC isn't really locked then?

It depends what you mean by "locked". If you've got physical access to a computer that does not have its entire disk encrypted then there's usually a way around the operating system's logon security.

If you can log into a PC using the admin account or another administrator account why would you need to reset or remove the password?

In order to recover the standard user account in question and continue using it!

Also, quite a few computers have the admin account disabled by default so this option isn't gonna work!

Yeah, it really does depend on how it was configured at install.

[hellmett]

It depends what you mean by "locked". If you've got physical access to a computer that does not have its entire disk encrypted then there's usually a way around the operating system's logon security.

In order to recover the standard user account in question and continue using it!

Yeah, it really does depend on how it was configured at install.

I hear ya brother!

Far too complicated though!

Use the Software I uploaded!

Quick, easy and 100% effective!

(sort of like Viagra!)

[yoshie]

I hear ya brother!

Far too complicated though!

Use the Software I uploaded!

Quick, easy and 100% effective!

(sort of like Viagra!)

Just nowhere near as much fun