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