Forgot Admin Password: Windows Vista Home Basic

I forgot this and now I am not able to do some things. Please help me get
back my Admin Password.

I would hate to go thru a re-installation of Vista.

Thanks in advance and anticipation

This tutorial will show you how to reset the password to gain access
again. If it is your only admin. account as t-4-2 posted, then you may
need to do Method Three.

I FORGOT MY ADMIN. PASSWORD WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT THIS???

Dear t-4-2 and Brink

I have only this one Admin password, that I have forgotten. I was not even
aware that one could have more than 1 admin passwords!! In any case, I will
try the link that Brink has suggested and see what I can do. But I did not
understand what is meant by Method 3. I will get back to that later, though.

Thanks for not asking me to re-load Vista.

No, NO, Seeking. Not 2 admin passwords, 2 admin accounts with 2
different passwords. Method Three is the only option in that tutorial
you can use. The other ones are NOT applicable to you. If you run into
road block, post the question. Brink will be there to lead you along. He
is the guru.

I had meant 2 Admin accounts.

But I have only one admin account, for which I have forgotten the pswd.

I will try this said 'Method Three' when I am back at home on my home
computer.

Enable the hidden administrator account, then use that to reset the
password. Remember to disable that account when you are finished.

I have gone thru the "Method Three". Before I attempt it, my questions:

- does it work with Vista Home Basic (32 bit)?
- do I need a blank or any boot disc sort of thing? It seems like that.
Please confirm

Seems more complicated than it had sounded.

I do not have emails associated with the forgotten password, but I remember
whenever I had to download something, I had to provide this password. After I
reset the password, would I still be able to access those programs that I
have downloaded and installed using the existing (but forgotten) password?

Please help before I go completely crazy with this.

Yes, it will work on all Vista versions. It shows you how to create a
boot DVD (or USB flash drive, etc...) to use on your computer to reset
the password. If you have no access at all to your computer, then you
will need to create the boot DVD on a friend's or another computer and
use it on yours.

If your email messages have not been encrypted, then they will be fine.
It only applies to encrypted files since the encryption certificate is
tied to the user account password.

looks like the spammer "linky1124" has changed nyms.

"linky1124" originating IP: 220.112.23.238

"tommark" originating IP: 220.112.23.238

Same thread, different vBulletin gateways.

[Alexisxy]

Why do you try to use the Windows Password Reset? No need to call a technician, no need to re-install anything, and you certainly don't need to reformat. The program will enable you to reset the password to "Blank" with no -reformatting or installation. Do all the job for you automatically. It's worth a try.

[JeffT]

All,

Is there an easy way to re-set a forgotten password - I set an administrator account and password on my partner's daughter's PC and cannot remember the password (clearly I'm not flavour of the month!). I'm PC illiterate, so laymans terms appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

PS - I have tried accessing via "safe mode". However, it informs me that the account named "administrator" has been de-actuivated.

[happykaka]

Try your best to recall the password. If you can't, you have to empty the old password.
As far as I know, there are two solutions for you. one is to reinstall your OS, another is to reset the password with a third part utility. （here, take "windows password unlocker" for example）

I do not recommend the first solution. Once you reinstall the OS which must result a data loss. In the terms another method, you need a second computer that can link to Internet and blank CD. As following,
1. Login to a second computer that can link to Internet. download Windows Password Unlocker 4.0 and decompress it on that PC. Note that: there is a .ISO file,you need to burn the .ISO file to a CD.
2 Get out the newly created CD and insert it to the locked computer.
Thirdly, re-booted the locked computer and then followed the process of instructions. Just a few steps, the old password was removed.

I've forgotten my password and tried the method 3 thing I keep reading
about and once it goes through to the point that it get to the reset the
password option...once I put 1 in it says the SAM hive isn't
loaded...but it says it is???
I don't know what i'm doing wrong or what gives??? I really need in to
my account to retrieve my papers for school.
And on another note i tried the Windows Password Unlocker 4.0 and it
loads and gives me the option to click on my username name which is the
only admin account and it just says congratulations this version is
fully compatible with windows yada yada but it doesn't give the the
congratulations your password is reset.

If you referring to the Offline NT registry editor program then read
this :)

'Offline NT Password & Registry Editor'

Yes I Am. I get to this point

What to do? [1] ->

I Put 1 in and it comes up with the error message that SAM is not
loaded or booted BUT in the loaded hives it says SAM???

Did you hard shutdown? As in did you hold the power button till it
shutdown?

I'm assuming I need to correctly shut down the computer and not just
get aggitate and do the hard shutdown?

Correct. Run the computer and shut it down and power it up about 3
times. Shutting it down correctly should resolve this matter. Post back

Well I tried that and still got the same error.

Hmm... Are you sure your following the instructions correctly?

Yes i even printed them out to follow them and my friend double checked.
my computer going to be an expensive lawn ornament soon!!

I don't see why its not letting you wipe it. You have shut down cleanly?
Was it burnt correctly? I've -only- received that error when I hard
shutdown. Never any other reason. If your following the instructions to
the tee everything should fall into place. I'm sorry I haven't been much
use, I haven't used that program in 4 months.

I think i'm going to try one of those password reset programs and see if
they work? I Dont know what else to do at this point. So do they work or
are they a waste of money?

Whoa whoa, don't buy anything, more than likely its a scam. Please, do
NOT buy anything. Try using Ophcrack. It will crack the password and
give it to you so you can sign in then change it from there. Only thing
is, if you had symbols in the password it wont crack it.