Windows 7/XP : How to reset Forgotten password without help of a Bootable disk.

The problem comes with windows 7, when you forget the password. In windows XP, there is  a default user, administrator which can be login by going to safe mode, however in windows by default, there is no facility provided to login to administrator account or any other if, prior settings has not been done.

As many people (who uses windows 7 for personal use), creates a single user to work around it, normally they don’t care about either creating additional user or creating password reset disk, provided by windows 7 to reset password.

So for them, it comes as a difficult time when they forget their password.

Some of the way they choose are:

1. Again reformat the windows drive. (May cause to lose the data).
2. Repair the system using windows bootable DVD.
3. Use password reset disk to reset the password if, ever being created earlier.
4. What about a person who has not done any of the above? Or if he/she does not have a windows 7 bootable DVD? Below are some steps which can be followed to reset the password for windows 7.

Overview:

• This is a utility to reset the password of any user that has a valid local account on your Windows system.
• Supports all Windows from NT3.5 to Win7, also 64 bit and also the Server versions (like 2003 and 2008)
• You do not need to know the old password to set a new one.
• It works offline, that is, you have to shut down your computer and boot off a CD or USB disk to do the password reset.
• Will detect and offer to unlock locked or disabled out user accounts!
• There is also a registry editor and other registry utilities that works under Linux/Unix, and can be used for other things than password editing.
• A small zip file of 4 MB needed to be download which can be done wither in a friend’s system or in an internet café.

The download file, source code and other thorough details are present in http://pogostick.net/~pnh/ntpasswd/bootdisk.html. Below I have given, details of the same steps which I followed to reset my password using help of pogostick.net.

The walkthrough can also be found in the website pogstick.net.

Crazy Direct does not own the zip file. I am just giving the link to download the file and writing the steps in a simpler manner which has to be followed if someone wants to just reset the password using this utility.

Steps:

1. Download the zip file from pogostick.net in an USB drive. For this either a friend’s computer an internet café can be used.

2. Extract all the content of the zip file into the USB. Remember: Don’t do extract to folder, however do extract here so that all the files will be present directly on the USB home drive.

3. Start command prompt, go that particular USB drive.

a.       If your USB drive has drive letter as X, then type X:syslinux.exe -ma X:

b.      Replace X with the other drive letter depending upon USB drive name.

The above step is done to make USB bootable. If you are not getting any success message then also it is fine.

4. Delete the zip file from the USB disk, as it is of no use anymore.

Now you are ready to go.  Plugin the USB in the PC, for which password has to reset.

5. Start the PC. If required do changes in the setup (by pressing F2, while start up) to boot from USB.

If boot from USB is a success, then you may get some text message on the screen, which will be like command prompt of UNIX/Window’s. Don’t panic here. If not follow the above steps again.

6. You may get a screen like below:

7. Just press enter. Then you will get a screen like below.

8. In the above screen you can find all the partitioned hard drive present in you system. Choose the one which is used for bootable. Normally the one written BOOT will work. Enter the letter corresponding to it and press enter.

9. In the above screenshot, just press enter as the application will take the default config directory.

10.In the above screen press 1, and enter.

11. Follow the same, press 1, and enter for password reset.

Now you can see all the users present in that Bootable drive as given above.

12. Depending upon your user name, for which password reset is required, type it and press enter. For example if for admin user, you trying to reset password, follow as below snapshot.

13. In the above screen press 1 and enter.

Password reset has been done. Press ! and enter to quit.

14. Press q and enter followed by Y and enter.

15. Press n and enter to exit. Reboot your system pressing Ctrl+Alt+Del.

16. Remove your USB drive and boot with your drive. Now the system will not ask for the password and it will get login automatically, if you have only one active user.

Now give a password that you can remember!!!!

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