Vista - Lost Administrator Password

Help - my son has changed the (only) administrator password and forgotten it.
How can I get round this?

You are using Windows Vista, correct?

You should be able to re-boot in safe mode and log in as the built-in
administrator. This account generally doesn't have a password and is only
available in safe mode.

From there, you can get to User Accounts and change passwords.

When your restart your computer, press F8 right before you see the Windows
splash screen. This will bring up the Advanced Boot Options menu, from which
you can select Safe Mode.

- JB

Vista Support FAQ
http://www.jimmah.com/vista/

I have obviously posted this in wrong place - I am using XP. Any help would
be grately appreciated

"Jimmy Brush" wrote:

> You are using Windows Vista, correct?
>
> You should be able to re-boot in safe mode and log in as the built-in
> administrator. This account generally doesn't have a password and is only
> available in safe mode.
>
> From there, you can get to User Accounts and change passwords.
>
> When your restart your computer, press F8 right before you see the Windows
> splash screen. This will bring up the Advanced Boot Options menu, from which
> you can select Safe Mode.
>
> - JB
>
> Vista Support FAQ
> http://www.jimmah.com/vista/
>

Actually, now that I think about it ... these steps should work as well on
XP, unless by "only administrator password" you are talking about the
built-in administrator account.

If that is the case, there are free tools availabe to recover the password.

Just search google for Windows XP password recovery or something similar.

- JB

Vista Support FAQ
http://www.jimmah.com/vista/

LOL - So much for "parental controls" ;-)

"friday" <friday@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:EDE60159-5BD9-42B4-AAF0-BDC8F84151DB@microsoft.com...
> Help - my son has changed the (only) administrator password and forgotten
> it.
> How can I get round this?

Dear friend,
after following yor instructions onde the discussion forum, i still cannot
recover my passaword taht was in my palm zire that had a crash. Even in the
security safe mode, the vista beta still asks for my administrator passorwd...
Could you please help me?

"Jimmy Brush" wrote:

> You are using Windows Vista, correct?
>
> You should be able to re-boot in safe mode and log in as the built-in
> administrator. This account generally doesn't have a password and is only
> available in safe mode.
>
> From there, you can get to User Accounts and change passwords.
>
> When your restart your computer, press F8 right before you see the Windows
> splash screen. This will bring up the Advanced Boot Options menu, from which
> you can select Safe Mode.
>
> - JB
>
> Vista Support FAQ
> http://www.jimmah.com/vista/
>

"Jimmy Brush" wrote:

> You are using Windows Vista, correct?
>
> You should be able to re-boot in safe mode and log in as the built-in
> administrator. This account generally doesn't have a password and is only
> available in safe mode.
>
> From there, you can get to User Accounts and change passwords.
>
> When your restart your computer, press F8 right before you see the Windows
> splash screen. This will bring up the Advanced Boot Options menu, from which
> you can select Safe Mode.
>
> - JB
>
> Vista Support FAQ
> http://www.jimmah.com/vista/
>

I have the same problem, how irresponsible of me.

Just yesterday I created a password for my vista admin account (the one and only account on my new laptop), but somehow I can't sign in with it today. I tried putting CAPS on and off but it's still incorrect. Not sure if this is relevant or not, but right after I created the admin password, I also renamed the admin account. Could that have affected anything?

I tried starting in Safe Mode like you said, but it still prompts me for the same password. Are there any other solutions to this?


[quote=Jimmy Brush;54103]You are using Windows Vista, correct?

You should be able to re-boot in safe mode and log in as the built-in
administrator. This account generally doesn't have a password and is only
available in safe mode.

From there, you can get to User Accounts and change passwords.

When your restart your computer, press F8 right before you see the Windows
splash screen. This will bring up the Advanced Boot Options menu, from which
you can select Safe Mode.

- JB

If you forget the administrator’s password but still can log on Windows with other user names that have administrative privileges, you may follow the instructions below:
Right click the computer icon on your desktop, select Manage, find Local Users and Groups, unfold Users folder, right click Administrator, click Set password… in the menu comes up. Click Proceed in the dialog, in the pop-up, enter a New Password and confirm it. Your administrator’s password is successfully reset.
Guest account may help to log onto Windows, but it has no privilege for you to do the above to reset the administrator’s password.
If you forgot all user passwords and failed to log onto Windows, there is no other way but to format the OS and reinstall Windows, or resort to sort of software tools to remove the password and log onto Windows. These programs cost some bucks, but are worthy and better than to reinstall the OS causing consequences. The most popular programs are Windows Password Reset 6.0 etc. Generally, these programs are easy to use though turn out to be a scary command prompt to newbie. But do relax and you can fully manipulate. Let’s take Windows Password Reset 6.0 for example. You prepare a blank CD, burn the program onto the CD, boot the locked computer from the CD, come to initiate the program, locate the user name, and proceed to remove its password – all are at ease.