How to Reset / Recover Forgotten Windows Password?

[windows2]

Forgetting your Windows administrator login password. With no way to get into the system, you can’t even perform basic maintenance, let alone a thorough tune-up. Formatting is always an option, but we consider that a last resort. (Plus, guess who’s going to have to help reinstall all the programs lost after a wipe?) But all hope is not lost. There are a few ways to actually retrieve a lost Windows account password. Read on, and we’ll show you the light.


1st Method:

The first thing which you check if you forget login password. When we install Windows, it automatically creates an account "Administrator" and sets its password to blank. So if you have forget your user account password then try this:

Start system and when you see Windows Welcome screen / Login screen, press ctrl+alt+del keys twice and it'll show Classic Login box. Now type "Administrator" (without quotes) in Username and leave Password field blank. Now press Enter and you should be able to log in Windows.

Now you can reset your account password from "Control Panel -> User Accounts".

Same thing can be done using Safe Mode. In Safe Mode Windows will show this in-built Administrator account in Login screen.


2th Method:

There are a lot of Windows password revealers and crackers available.



Windows password recovery tool:

but I’ve found that Windows Password Recovery Tool is the most effective.:
it not only supports XP, 2000, and NT, I have personally tested it with Vista Home Premium and Ultimate. It works perfectly to reset any local user account to a blank password.
http://www.windowspasswordsrecovery.com



pwdump2:
http://razor.bindview.com/tools/files/pwdump2.zip

[stasik]

method 3: Ophcrack http://ophcrack.sourceforge.net/
this boot cd uses rainbowtables. works on both XP and Vista. this will show the password!

method 4: Offline NT password http://home.eunet.no/pnordahl/ntpasswd/
this boot cd will reset the password, or set it to anything u want.

method 5: Login Recovery http://www.loginrecovery.com/
boot from this cd and the hash of the password would will be displayed. then crack the hash with any tools

method 6: boot from any linux boot cd ( backtrack) and extract the sam file. crack it with any tool

method 7: Windows Key Enterprise http://www.lostpassword.com/windows-enterprise.htm
the same as method 4, but it costs 300 $ )))

etc..

p.s. it should go to tutorials!

[foldingstock]

method 3: Ophcrack http://ophcrack.sourceforge.net/
this boot cd uses rainbowtables. works on both XP and Vista. this will show the password!

Ophcrack will not work if you use a proper password. It only works on weaker passwords. Granted, it works very well on weaker passwords.

[Thor]

I haven't looked at this prog in some time, but I think Cain and Able does this as well. I remember it wasn't bad at what it did.

[foldingstock]

Cain can decrypt the Windows SAM file, but you would need to already has an account that has access (Admin/Power User) to the SAM file for Cain to be able to read it. Not terribly useful, imo.

[Thor]

Ah yeah the whole access thing. If he can find another way to dump the hash then it would be useful, otherwise your right; your gonna need access. But then again if you can dump the hash, you likely have a way right there to decrypt. I still just use this really old disk I have had for eons now that just automagically resets it or changes to what I want it to be as long as I have physical access to it with a disk drive. Things works on most Windows from I think as early as 95. I never tried it on Vista before, not sure it work. Problem is it's really only for times when it's known it's gonna be changed. If your going for stealth then you'll want to dump the hash. Thing has made me a couple of bucks and free beer from people who lock themselves out.

PM me if you want this.

[jzmajor]

Another way is to change the password completely using Command Prompt.

To start you open Command Prompt. Using any account you want.
Then type in net user Administrator[space]*
It will ask you to enter a new password for the user.
It wont show the password (or any characters at all for that matter)
Then confirm the password.

This can be used for any user too. By just replacing Administrator with the user name.

[BebeLiv]

I have used a very simple way to rest admin password without erasing anything. Follow the instructions:
1.Download the software from
http://www.password-genius.com/how-to/h ... sword.html
2. Burn it to a CD.
3. Pop the CD into your locked PC, and boot from the CD. You can login windows and reset your Password.
The whole process took only a few minutes.