Reset User Account Password

How to Reset a User Account Password in Vista​

   Information

If you forgot the password for a user account, this will show you how to reset or change the password to gain access to the user account again.

   Note

• The password used in Vista is case sensitive. You might double check to make sure that you do not have the Caps Lock key on by mistake when typing it in.
• If you do not have a password for the user account, then clicking or pressing Enter with a blank field will usually work.
• METHOD THREE below should only be used a last resort to reset a Administrator account when it is the only account created, but it should do the job for you. Your only other option is to reinstall Vista.
• If you are using BitLocker Drive Encryption, then this will most likely not work.
• If all of these methods fail, then you will need to reinstall Vista.

   Tip

For a CMOS or BIOS Password:
You can usually reset this password by unplugging the computer and removing the battery on the motherboard for just a bit and/or temporarily crossing the CMOS jumper pin on the motherboard, then change or turn off the password in the BIOS at the next start. See your motherboard's documentation for these locations on it. You can usually find documentation at the motherboard's manufacturer's website.

   Warning

To avoid not being able to log on, be sure to write down you user account's username and password and store it in a safe place for future reference if you need it. Another great option is to create a Password Reset Disk. See: See: How to Create a Password Reset Disk in Vista

METHOD ONE

Reset Password while logged in an Administrator Account

   Note

This is if you have a administrator account that you can logon with to change or reset the password for a Standard or another administrator account.

   Warning

If you use an Administrator account to remove the password for any other user account, the user account with the removed password will lose access to its encrypted files, e‑mail messages that are encrypted, and stored passwords for websites or network resources. If the user account doesn't have any of these things, or the user doesn't mind losing them, then using an Administrator account to remove the password is a fast and easy way to recover from a forgotten password.

1. Logon to the Administrator account.​

NOTE: If you forgot the Administrator account password, then logon to another Administrator account.​

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2. Reset or Change the forgotten password for the user account.​

NOTE: For how, see: How to Remove a Password from a User Account in Vista​

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METHOD TWO

Reset Password with your Password Reset Disk

NOTE: A password reset disk will allow you to reset the password for the user account it was created in. You had to of created one first though. See: How to Create a Password Reset Disk in Vista.

1. Start the computer up into the Logon Welcome Screen.​

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2. Click on the Click to Play button in the video below.​

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http://www.vistax64.com/download/flash/Reset_From_Password_Disk.swf​

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METHOD THREE

Reset Password with a Editor Tool

   Note

This should only be used on a Administrator account that you forgot the password for and do not have another Administrator account (METHOD ONE or TWO) or a Password Reset Disk (METHOD FOUR) to use to reset the password. This should only be a last resort to gaining access to an administrative account.

   Tip

Depending on what you use, you will need to have the CD/DVD or USB key drive listed first in the boot order in the BIOS settings to be able to "Press any key to boot from CD/DVD.".

   Warning

If you reset the password using the tool below, the user account will lose access to its encrypted files, encrypted e‑mail messages, and stored passwords for websites or network resources.

Offline NT Password and Registry Editor​

1. For how, see this site: Offline NT Password and Registry Editor​

NOTE: If you have no access to your computer, then you will need to create this boot CD/DVD or USB key drive on another computer so you can use it to boot into yours with and use.​

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2. Click the Bootdisk button at the top of that website. (See screenshot below)​

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3. Scroll down to the Download section and download the lastest version ZIP file (ex: cd######.zip) for the Bootable CD image under (CD release, see below on how to use).​

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4. Extract the cd######.iso file from the downloaded ZIP file, then burn the ISO file to a DVD or USB key drive.​

NOTE: You can use any ISO burner program you like, but the free ISO Recorder or ImgBurn programs are good ones to use. ​

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5. Follow the instructions from their website on how to use the boot CD/DVD or USB key drive. See: Offline NT Password & Registry Editor​

NOTE: Please direct your questions about this tool to the site providing the tool.​

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METHOD FOUR

Reset Password by Doing a System Restore at Boot

   Note

This is for the following scenarios. For more information, see: Microsoft Help and Support: KB940765

Scenario	Description
Scenario 1:	You recently set a new password for the protected administrator account. However, you do not remember the new password, but do remember the old one.
Scenario 2:	You type the correct logon password. However, Windows Vista does not accept the password because the system is corrupted.
Scenario 3:	You deleted a password protected administrator account. Now, you cannot log on to another administrator account.
Scenario 4:	You changed a protected administrator account to a standard user account. Now, you cannot log on to another administrator account.

1. Do METHOD TWO here: How to Do a System Restore in Vista, or here: How to Do a System Restore in Windows 7.​

NOTE: You will be booting from your Vista installation DVD to perform a System Retore with the method at this link.​

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2. Next, do the additional steps below for the scenario that is related to your situation.​

• For Scenario 1
  • After you log on, change the password for the protected administrator account. See: How to Remove or Change a Password for a User Account in Vista
  • After you change the password, restart the computer. Make sure that you can log on by using the new password.
• For scenario 2
  • After you log on, make sure that each user account can log on by using the appropriate credentials.
  • Change the password for the user account that cannot log on. See: How to Remove or Change a Password for a User Account in Vista
• For Scenario 3
  • After you log on, use the User Accounts item in Control Panel to create a new protected administrator account. See: How to Create a New User Account in Vista
  • Log on by using the new protected administrator account. Then, delete the older protected administrator account that was restored. See: How to Delete a User Account in Vista
    NOTE: For security reasons, do not use the restored protected administrator account.
• For Scenario 4
  • After you log on, use the User Accounts item in Control Panel to create a new protected administrator account. See: How to Create a New User Account in Vista
  • Log on by using the new protected administrator account.
  • Change the old protected administrator account to a standard user account. See: How to Change a User Account Type in Vista

METHOD FIVE

Reset Password in Registry Editor at Boot

1. For how, see: Password Reset - Windows 7 Forums​

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That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

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• How to Reset the Password of a User Account in Windows 7
• Reset your Windows Password
• How to Enable or Disable Secure Logon in Vista
• How to Make Vista Require a Username and Password at Logon
• How to Display Information About Previous Logons During User Logon in Vista
• How to Create a New User Account in Vista
• How to Change or Stop Password Expiration in Vista
• How to Remove or Change a Password for a User Account in Vista
• How to Remove the Password for Your or Another User Account in Windows 7
• How to Logon Automatically at Startup in Vista
• How to Create a Password Reset Disk in Vista
• How to Create a "Password Reset Wizard" Shortcut in Windows 7 and Vista
• How to Create a Password for a User Account in Vista
• How to Start Vista in Safe Mode
• How to Add or Remove Change Password from the Vista Ctrl+Alt+Delete Screen
• How to Prevent or Allow a User to Change their Password in Vista
• How to Enable or Disable Password Expiration for a User in Windows 7
• How to Change the Maximum and Minimum Password Age in Windows 7
• How to Prevent or Allow a User to Change their Password in Vista and Windows 7
• How to Create, Change, and Use a Password Hint in Windows 7

 

[aaron89]

Hey ppl,

Could do with some help if possible,

Basicly i changed my password on my laptop and my user is the administrator and i went on holiday for 2 weeks and now i cant remember my password.

Now i have looked few some of the options to reset my password and i cant seem to do them. I dont have the administrator one possible as i knew how to do this in safe mode to reset passwords and the disc drive doesn't work on the laptop either.

So as i cant use the disc drive i cant use the system recovery discs from when i set up the laptop.

Any ideas people?

Aaron

 

[SIW2]

Can you boot from usb on the laptop?

Try method 3 - use a usb stick instead of cd.

Offline NT Password & Registry Editor

 

[aaron89]

yeh i thought of using a USB stick but wasnt sure if it was possible but if you think it will i can try it

 

[SIW2]

Click where it says BOOTDISK - then you will see this:

The CD can also be installed on a USB drive, see readme.txt on the CD.

 

[aaron89]

ok cool, i will download the program and save to a USB stick then i follow the instruction on what to do and hope it works :D

where is the readme.txt on the CD?

i mean, i have downloaded the program and unzipped it and i have cd?????? (? = numbers) but what do i do now?

 

[Brink]

ok cool, i will download the program and save to a USB stick then i follow the instruction on what to do and hope it works :D

where is the readme.txt on the CD?

i mean, i have downloaded the program and unzipped it and i have cd?????? (? = numbers) but what do i do now?

Hello Aaron,

You would continue on to step 4 in METHOD THREE in this tutorial on the first page.

 

[aaron89]

yeh cool, i managed to get the correct files onto the USB stick but now im confused and have no idea what to do ! lol haha help please

 

[Brink]

Aaron,

Not that you burned the ISO file to the USB flash drive, you can use the instructions below (step 5 ) for how to use it to reset your password.

Offline NT Password & Registry Editor

 

[SIW2]

Are you able to boot the usb stick?

View attachment ntpasswd.TXT

To make a bootable USB drive / key:

1. Copy all files from this CD onto the USB drive.
It cannot be in a subdirectory on the drive.
You do not need delete files already on the drive.
2. Install the bootloader (you may have to be administrator)
On the USB drive, there should now be a file "syslinux.exe".
Run this from a command line, like this:


j:\syslinux.exe -ma j:

replace j with some other letter if your USB drive is on another
drive letter than j:
On some drives, you may have to omit the -ma option if you
get an error.
If it says nothing, it probably did install the bootloader.

Please note that you may have to adjust settings in your computers BIOS
setup to boot from USB.

 

[jem pretty]

i totally forgot my UAC password now i cannot acces as everytimes asking for my uac passowrd but the bad news ia my UAC and administrator password is the same,, can u help me what to do,, give me instruction please to recover all the things i needed

 

[Brink]

Hello Jem, and welcome to Vista Forums.

Method Three in the tutorial on the first page will reset this for you since your administrator user account password is what is used for UAC.

 

[gracef]

Hi,
I recently changed the password for the Admin account and I cannot remember it at all. I tried resetting it, I couldn't. I tried creating a new one but couldn't because it requires the Admin password! I currently cannot do anything on my laptop because everything requires Admin password. I created a password reset disk and everytime I TRY to reset it a popup informs me "an error occured while attempting to reset your password"!!! Please please help. :'(

 

[SIW2]

Did you try Method Three in the tutorial?

 

[gracef]

Did you try Method Three in the tutorial?

Hi, I don't know if I can use Method 3. My other computer is a Mac and it's generally been my experience that stuff for the PC doesn't work on the Mac. Do you know if M3 would work?

 

[SIW2]

Not sure tbh. Do you have Vista installed on a MAC?

Or are you not sure you can burn the downloaded .iso on a mac - I'm pretty sure you can.

Otherwise, do you have accessibility options enabled - so there is a little logo at bottom left of Vista login screen ?

 

[gracef]

Not sure tbh.

Do you have accessibility options enabled - so there is a little logo at bottom left of Vista login screen ?

I have Ease of Access...is that what you're talking about?
I'm just so frustrated. I put it in thinking "oh I can remember this". Obviously not...I can't change my Standard Account to a second Admin one without the password

 

[SIW2]

Click on the little logo and see if you have the magnifier.

 

[gracef]

Click on the little logo and see if you have the magnifier.

I do. What does the magnifier have to do with it?

 

[SIW2]

If you do:

Boot the Vista dvd - when you get to the Install Now screen - don't click that - click Repair My Computer at the bottom.

When it has found installed o/s , click NEXT and select command prompt.

Type: (press enter after each line)

cd /d c:\windows\system32

ren magnify.exe oldmagnify.exe

ren cmd.exe magnify.exe

close command . Restart.

At the login screen click the logo at bottom left and select magnify.

A command window opens.

Type:

net user administrator/active:yes

press enter . close cmd.

Restart . You now have an Administrator a/c you can login .

Go to user accounts and change the password of your existing account.

(shut down , boot the dvd to command prompt again )

type:

cd /d c:\windows\system32

ren magnify.exe cmd.exe

ren oldmagnify.exe magnify.exe

close command prompt.

Restart

Log back in your normal account - go to user accounts and delete the new admin account.

Does that make any sense? I hope so, because I am going to sleep now.

If you don't have vista Install disc - get this - works great - you need the same bit version as the Vista you have installed

Download Windows 7 System Recovery Discs — The NeoSmart Files

EDIT - CHECK IT AGAIN - MISSED A LINE OUT

 

[gracef]

So I could download the Windows 7 discs on a Mac??