Can I Access Computer as Administrator?

[Mykel99]

Hello, I just got back a computer that I lent out to a niece. I never had any passwords set up on this computer. Apparently while she was using my computer, she decided to install a password as an OWNER. Well now that I have my computer back, she can't remember what the password is. I ran OPHCRACK and it showed that the Administrator and Guest are empty of any passwords, but it couldn't find the password under OWNER. Is there a way to bypass the Owner log-in screen and use the Administrator screen instead? Thanks for any advice.

[Emiliio]

There is a simple way to bypass that. Start your computer and as you can see the welcome screen where you have to put password press Ctrl + Alt + Del two times. You will get a new box now. In the User box type Adminstrator and hit enter. You can now enter Windows and now you can go on Control Panel > User Accounts and delete the old user accounts.

[Mykel99]

At the Welcome screen I did the ctrl+alt+del at least twice but nothing happens. I forgot to say that I'm working with Windows Vista Home Premium if that helps. Thanks.

[EINSTEIN_007]

If you forget the administrator password and don't have a password reset disk or another administrator account, you won't be able to reset the password. If there are no other user accounts on the computer.

How to use your password reset disk to reset your password

You will not be able to follow these steps if you have locked your computer.

1. If you have typed the wrong password, you'll receive a message that says your user name or password is incorrect. When this message appears, click OK.

2. Click Reset password, and then follow the instructions.

[Calvin K]

If you are not getting the admin box by pressing ctrl + alt + del then that means your administrator account is also password protected. There are various solution here. First you can remove the password by opening up the computer and then removing the cmos battery. Remove it and then put back it again. The other option is using a bootable disc like Ophcrack to boot in Windows without password.

[Mykel99]

Let me try again. When I start up the computer, it boots up and then shows the sign in screen. It is the OWNER sign-in screen. I don't have the password for this screen. I ran the OPHCRACK program and it showed that there are no passwords under Administrator or Guest. The only password is at the OWNER screen and OPHCRACK couldn't find it. (Wahhh!) I tried everything that everyone has said even changing the cmos battery, but it still boots up to the Owner screen. I'm THIS CLOSE to buying a program on ebay that promises to solve this problem...... but I don't want to. HELP!

[Deep123]

I came across this similar issue in my laptop when I forgot my admin password. Here my friend suggested me to boot in safe mode first where it did not ask for password and boot directly in Windows. Then from here I changed by login user account. If you have another user with administrator rights, you open a session with then you go into the control panel > administrative tools > computer management > users and local groups > users then right click on administrator and Set Password

[Mykel99]

Thanks, I tried that also. When I reboot in safe mode it takes me right back to the Owner sign in screen, still asking for a password. Even if I reboot in safe mode with command prompt, it also takes me to the Owner sign in screen.

[MrChris-]

I faced this similar issue on my Dell desktop. After searching out some solutions on Google I found a tool called Offline NT Password & Registry Editor. This tool can remove or change the password for users with an account. It is not necessary to know the old password to change it. The tool works offline, so it must shut down the PC and boot from the floppy or CD.