To access a locked Windows Account, around a dozen ways are provided by TSersa moment ago. The list was so impressive that we decided to work on some of it points for easy access.
Out of the whole list, we have selected the five most impressive and useful ways to recover or reset one’s Windows password, with the instructions to execute them and also some other options at the end.
Moving forward, the password can be reset at Microsoft’s site itself by making use of another device’s internet, logging into your Windows using online Microsoft account.
Step 1: To change one’s password,make use of the Command prompt on the login Screen of the Windows
It works on one’s offline Windows account not requiring additional software.
Undergoing tests, we found that the most believable and easy method is booting off a USB drive/ Windows disc, additionally for its set up license availability is not a compulsion. Otherwise one can put a command prompt on one’s login screen either by accessing the 'Advanced Startup Options' or by using one’s recovery drive /Windows installation disc to get a separate command prompt.
Download Windows 10>Setup instructions>Quick navigation: For appearance of command prompt, click shift + F10 simply, after booting off the installation media.
Utility Manager Swapping
Suppose the command prompt appears, now to generate the backup of the Utility Manger enter the two lines under and write it with cmd.exe.
Note: One’s Windows drive letter should be "?"for listing all your drives launch Disk Part by typing disk part and then enter list volume.
move:\windows\system32\utilman.exe ?:\windows\system32\utilman.exe.bak
copy:\windows\system32\cmd.exe ?:\windows\system32\utilman.exe
Now you can launch cmd.exe. by clicking the Utility Manager present on your login screen
To Change one’s password
Enter the net user USERNAME PASSWORD, to set one’s account’s new password at the command prompt on your login display.One can also enter control user passwords2 to obtain an account manager based on GUI from the same as a bonus.
#&@!... If that do not work!
Alternate option, enter net user administrator /active:yes -- /active:no when you're done with the account later to enable the default administrator account.
The listed Administrator account without a necessity for password to log in,is visible after rebooting.
Below steps might not or less involved on Windows XP:
- Using Command prompt, booting into the safe mode
- To get the option for typing username and entering Administrator to obtain command prompt, making visible the Windows account by typing net user and setting a new password via net user USERNAME PASSWORD ,click control + alt + delete two times at the login display.
- Try the new password after rebooting
Step 2: Official Microsoft DaRT disk
It works by making available a "Locksmith" tool to TechNet subscribers utilizing the same Windows GUI to set a new password on your preferred account.
It works on the Windows version that matches the DaRT version number. For Example: DaRT 10 is for Windows 10
An official Microsoft utility suite DaRT, based on Windows Pre-installation Environment comprises file explorer, crash analyzer,registry editor, file restoring tools, virus scans, repair disks,etc. A simple function working to set a new password to one’s Windows account just by few clicks is also present among them.
Other boot disk named the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack, containing a copy of DaRT can be downloaded too by the professionals holding volume license for Microsoft products.
Download Microsoft DaRT> Set directions> Quick navigation: trail the prompts after opening "Locksmith".
Step 3: Chntpw
Also known as Offline NT Password & Registry Editor works by enabling one to change the password in one’s database file named Security Accounts Manager (SAM) by creating a bootable environment outside the windows.
It works on the local accounts of Windows OS based on NT comprising Windows 2000 through Windows 10.
Given below are the download links and quick setup instructions for popular boot diskssuch as Hiren's Boot CD, Kali Linux and Trinity Rescue:
- Download Hiren's Boot CD - Setup instruction - Quick navigation: Launch Offline NT/2000/XP/Vista/7 Password Changer from the main menu > choose your Windows installation > Edit user data and passwords
- Download Kali Linux - Setup instructions - Quick navigation: Mount your Windows drive > go to MS SAM (cd /media/win/Windows/System32/config/) > enter chntpw -u [username] SAM > choose clear or edit password
- Download Trinity Rescue - Setup instructions - Quick navigation: Press enter to run Trinity > Windows password resetting > Interactive winpass> choose your Windows installation > Edit user data and passwords
Download Offline NT Password & Registry Editor (Chntpw) - Setup instructions - Quick navigation: Press enter to boot when prompted > choose your Windows installation > 'Password reset (SAM)' > Edit user data and passwords > Enter the desired user's RID > Clear (blank) user password
It works by providing a bootable environment to brute force one’s Windows password using LM hashes through rainbow tables.
It works on Mac OS X, Linux and Windows, no matter using local orMicrosoft account.
Though,Ophcrackbeing the second most famous and excellent password recovery toolyet require downloading and putting an ISO on a bootable drive or disk. It could be used for better backup solution because of its technology that differs from Offline NT/Chntpw.
Download OphcrackLiveCD - Setup instructions - Usage guide/tips - Quick navigation: Enter Ophcrack Graphic mode - automatic > Double click Launcher on the LiveCD desktop > Search for tables and start Ophcrack
Step 5: iSeePassword
It works by providing boot disks along with GUI to expose Windows users and their passwords as well and additionally provides the ability to reset them.
It works on Windows XP through 10 along with its other server versions comprising separate tools for PDFs, MS Office, RARs and iTunes passwords.
This will charge ~$30 for "Password Recovery Bundle" for Windows users and others.But to load one’s software, a bootable disc/drive is still needed. There is no need to navigate as in the very first appeared window you will get everything displayed here only, just by accessing once.
Buy iSeePassword - Setup instructions - Quick navigation: Nothing is quick enough?
Perhaps hoping that the above-mentioned tricks proved to be helpful for you in accessing your locked Windows account is not wrong. There are four other methods too for the same working differently in comparison to the already mentioned one, in case all the above mentioned seems to be not working.
Maria Silvia is the writer of this article. She has been writing for our website and readers as well from a long time. She always tries to collect and grab more and more news, ideas and information on technical topics and to make available the same for her readers. Some related topics on which she has written are Support for Microsoft, Windows 10 support, Support for Windows 8, etc.
