admintrator password

For some time I have been running windows vista without knowing the administrator password. I need it now. I tried the method utilizing computer manager but the utility after "shared folders" (something about user groups) is missing the only thing following shared folders is "reliability and performance", and "device manager". I have a would be computer guru in the house and I suspect he has taken over the computer. He is 25 and I am 68 .I am his father. is there a way to get the entry about "groups " back onto my computer manager utility. I would like to gain control of my computer again.

Hi onkelbob. I will get you a little trick to log you back in, and then I'll refer @tom982 to you so he can recover your password using Offline NT Registry Editor & Password Recovery.

Do you have a USB drive on hand? (this is for the second step)

Try this.

Hit SHIFT-F10 to bring up command prompt.

type MMC
Click File -> Add/Remove Snap-in... (Or CTRL+M)
Select Computer Management (Double click and Finish on Local Computer)
Click OK
Double click Computer Management (Local) -> System Tools -> Local Users and Groups -> Users -> Double Click Administrator -> Uncheck Account is disabled -> OK
Now right click Administrator -> Set Password... -> Set a decent password to get started.

I ran into trouble at the point:
Click OK
Double click Computer Management (Local) -> System Tools -> Local Users and Groups -> Users -> Double Click Administrator -> Uncheck Account is disabled -> OK
Now right click Administrator -> Set Password... -> Set a decent password to get started.

There was no Administrator to click on. I could not read all of the line:Computer Management (Local) -> System Tools -> Local Users and Groups -> Users. The window was too small and I could not scroll the text.

I am enclosing a screenshot ot the computer useage. The reason I am making these posts is that I have about 3-4 gb on my computer that is not available to me for some reason. I also have a user account that I am trying to delete. I can not do it. I am trying to get access to my administrator account to delete the account. The screen shot will show the there is about 3 gb of memory on my harddrive that is not accounted for. I can't imagine why this is so.

Oh by the way the folders that have no properties displayed have no size so that is why I did not include them in the summation of my computer usage.

Are you sure you took my steps exactly the way I said them?

Yes I did,If it will help I can send a screen shot of the results of each step. I notice that you have :




Join Date: Aug 2012

Windows 7 Home Premium x64
297 posts



Does that mean that you think I am using windows 7 home premium and does that make a difference?

No sir, it means that I am using windows 7 home premium, those are my personal computer spec's.

If you want, download a free tool called "Teamviewer", its a safe tool that allows me to temporarily control your computer. You can cancel at any time, and you can see what I'm doing as it happens.

I'll do these steps for you and attempt to get you back on track.

I am going to get ready to go out this evening, I will check in with you later. My email is [email protected]. If you will send me an email we can set up a time to do that.

Unfortunately I can't do that, the forums are here to help everyone, and its against the rules to help you personally. but I strongly recommend that you edit and remove your email from the post (its a privacy issue)

As for the TeamViewer information, I think the username and password for that is alright to be private messaged to me using the forums.