locked out of admin account

[padackles1]

I changed my admin password a couple weeks ago, then logged off and promptly forgot it...
I've found one site that says I can download a program onto a cd and run it on my laptop, but there are risks and I really don't want to lose the files I've been working on for months and months.

Is there any way I can either get past the password to change it, or a safe programme that I don't have to fork money out for?

It'd be such a huge help, thanks.

[boingo]

There is a way, and you don't need to use 3rd party software. The only problem is I've forgotten what that way is.
I've done the same thing as you, by setting a password, but not writing it down. I think the bypass process involves either using the original Windows disc or making a disc on someone else's machine with the same version of windows on it.
Doing a search on Google using a search phrase such as "forgotten windows password" comes up with a lot of hits. Bare in mind, most of those links will be for people trying to sell you something, so it can be a long search.

[raliy2k]

Did you create a seperate account with Administrator privilage, or did you use and change the password for the main Administrator account?

[boingo]

Did you create a seperate account with Administrator privilage, or did you use and change the password for the main Administrator account?

I'm not sure if it's possible to create more than one administrator account, or not. I definitely didn't fix it that way though.
It was a year ago, so my memory of it is very vague, but I think one process involves booting up in safe mode to make a boot disc. Then using the boot disc to access the password. I'm pretty certain I used the regular Windows CD though.
Forget most of those web sites as they are out to make money. There's definitely a relatively simple way to get around the password problem, but those are the only bits I can remember right now. I'll have to see if anyone I know remembers how to do it.

[monosodium]

I changed my admin password a couple weeks ago, then logged off and promptly forgot it...
I've found one site that says I can download a program onto a cd and run it on my laptop, but there are risks and I really don't want to lose the files I've been working on for months and months.

Is there any way I can either get past the password to change it, or a safe programme that I don't have to fork money out for?

It'd be such a huge help, thanks.

If it's a proper windows disk rather than an OEM one then you definitely can because you can install windows without overwriting any files on the machine, OEM disks (which come with PCs) depend on the company that provided it, usually you can, but if the company that made your machine are idiots then you won't. The disk will give you a chance to confirm that you want to delete everything too (which obviously you don't). I don't know of any free password recovery tools for windows that I trust enough to recommend - but that doesn't mean they don't exist.

boingo - You can create multiple administrator accounts, but you need to be an administrator to do that, so you have to do it before you forget your password... It is a handy thing to do though - create a spare account in the administrators group purely for the purposes of a lost admin password. Make the password to that account *really* complicated, write it down and put it in a sealed envelope somewhere safe. That way if you need it then it's available but you'll also be able to see if the envelope has been tampered with.

[boingo]

Oh, thanks. Mono.

[Topic Of Gossip]

You could try this site...

http://www.loginrecovery.com/


I got this link through a recommendation though I've never had to use it myself.

It doesn't actually write anything to your hard drive. It basically reads the login files and then you send in the results to them. They then email you back with the password if its possible. The free service can take up to 48 hours for you to get your results back.

[monosodium]

You could try this site...

http://www.loginrecovery.com/


I got this link through a recommendation though I've never had to use it myself.

It doesn't actually write anything to your hard drive. It basically reads the login files and then you send in the results to them. They then email you back with the password if its possible. The free service can take up to 48 hours for you to get your results back.

Without wanting to point out a (slight) imperfection in that plan... How are you going to get to the website without being able to login...

There are products you can buy which you can boot from and they'll allow you to reset your administrator password, they are pretty much the only thing I'd recommend from a security standpoint.

[Topic Of Gossip]

You could try this site...

http://www.loginrecovery.com/


I got this link through a recommendation though I've never had to use it myself.

It doesn't actually write anything to your hard drive. It basically reads the login files and then you send in the results to them. They then email you back with the password if its possible. The free service can take up to 48 hours for you to get your results back.

Without wanting to point out a (slight) imperfection in that plan... How are you going to get to the website without being able to login...

There are products you can buy which you can boot from and they'll allow you to reset your administrator password, they are pretty much the only thing I'd recommend from a security standpoint.

Uhmm... Internet Cafe?

[monosodium]

Uhmm... Internet Cafe?

I've not looked at the site (but then I've never lost my admin password either)...

How are you going to get the information off your machine if you're in an internet cafe? No internet cafe's I know of will let you take in your own machine (unless it's a laptop) but you still have to login to get the information off it? You could boot from a floppy (not on my machine though cos I don't have one), but if you're doing that you may as well get a package that resets the password anyway.. Just thinking out loud really.

[Topic Of Gossip]

Uhmm... Internet Cafe?

I've not looked at the site (but then I've never lost my admin password either)...

How are you going to get the information off your machine if you're in an internet cafe? No internet cafe's I know of will let you take in your own machine (unless it's a laptop) but you still have to login to get the information off it? You could boot from a floppy (not on my machine though cos I don't have one), but if you're doing that you may as well get a package that resets the password anyway.. Just thinking out loud really.

You use a bootable floppy disk or CD-ROM (which the website tells you how to create) with its password reading program on. You then run the program via DOS which then gives you a code of some sort I believe.

You then email the code that the program has generated into the company and they will send the passwords back to you via email. It reads all the password files I believe not just admin.

You only need to enter an Internet Cafe (assuming you can't do it from work) to email the code to them using your hotmail, Yahoo, Gmail or whatever if your only computer is buggered.

[cosmicB]

I changed my admin password a couple weeks ago, then logged off and promptly forgot it...
I've found one site that says I can download a program onto a cd and run it on my laptop, but there are risks and I really don't want to lose the files I've been working on for months and months.

Is there any way I can either get past the password to change it, or a safe programme that I don't have to fork money out for?

It'd be such a huge help, thanks.

There is an easy program to run... It's in you...

Get high, and relaxed.. Set up a spot where everything is conducive to pleasurable peace of mind, and relaxation.. then switch-on your mind-screen in your mind's lab, and set yourself up in a dream that you are fallen down a deep well.. about a meter-diameter shaft down into in the earth... You image yourself finding handholds and footholds, to gradually push and pull yourself out of the hole... expecting the very moment you reach the surface, and flip yourself up out of the hole, like getting into a boat from water... The moment your bum hits the grass the memory of the lost password has returned to your conscious...


Let me know how you did... How far you get... If you got stopped.. I need you to detail what happened to stop you... Any troubles..? I can help you succeed in this little memory trick...

[Mr A]

You could try this site...

http://www.loginrecovery.com/


I got this link through a recommendation though I've never had to use it myself.

It doesn't actually write anything to your hard drive. It basically reads the login files and then you send in the results to them. They then email you back with the password if its possible. The free service can take up to 48 hours for you to get your results back.

In the past when my father refused to let me use his computer and changed the passwords i used that website to get back in to my account and not only that had every password to the PC


he was none the wiser as no passwords were actually changed. all that happens is that when you put the disk in at start up it decrypts the passwords and saves them onto a disc ...you then upload the un decypted log files onto the site and wait for them to be decrpted

there is other 3rd part stuff that will get you into your account ...but most of that will remove the password ...but as it dosen't really matter to you if the passwords are removed or not you could go down this route as well

[CalebLV]

http://www.oxid.it/cain.html

this is a good proggie, esp. when you have phys. access