Logging on to a laptop with out the password - Question

[KahrMan]

My wife has a laptop running Vista. The computer is not accepting her password. She has tried all her old passwords and can not get any to work.

How do we get into her computer? Any suggestions?

[lunarpowered]

Ophcrack will get the job done.

[Oh Shoot]

Ophcrack will get the job done.

I couldn't find any documentation right off.

Looks like a Win installer? How can you "install" it if you can't get to Windows?

Or does it make a boot CD or something and run from there?

- OS

[jcj]

I couldn't find any documentation right off.

Looks like a Win installer? How can you "install" it if you can't get to Windows?

Or does it make a boot CD or something and run from there?

- OS

You'll want to download the LiveCD versionOphcrack You should be able to burn the downloaded ISO image to CD (from another PC), put it in the PC you're locked out of and reboot. The system should boot from the CD and load the ophcrack software.

In case you have difficulties with ophcrack, "PC Login Now" is another option. PCLoginNow, Reset or Recover Windows NT/2000/XP/2003/Vista Administrator Password. is the software's site and here's a complete step by step tutorial on how to use it.

[analog_kidd]

I have had really good luck with the Offline NT Password Editor Offline NT Password & Registry Editor. It works the same way as the above. Burn the image file to a CD, or copy it to a floppy or USB drive (if your PC can boot from USB). Reboot and follow the prompts. This free software has been around for years.

If you know someone that has a volume license with Microsoft, they can obtain DART or Diagnostic And Recovery Toolset (formerly Sysinternals ERD Commander). I think it is the best and easiest to use. It will boot up a special copy of Windows from the CD, then allow you to use the Locksmith utility that is built in to change the password to anything you like.

[Motasyco]

You don't have the caps lock on, do you?

[peejman]

Safe mode?

[wipfel]

I have had really good luck with the Offline NT Password Editor Offline NT Password & Registry Editor. It works the same way as the above. Burn the image file to a CD, or copy it to a floppy or USB drive (if your PC can boot from USB). Reboot and follow the prompts. This free software has been around for years.

If you know someone that has a volume license with Microsoft, they can obtain DART or Diagnostic And Recovery Toolset (formerly Sysinternals ERD Commander). I think it is the best and easiest to use. It will boot up a special copy of Windows from the CD, then allow you to use the Locksmith utility that is built in to change the password to anything you like.

this should do the trick. there are a number of .iso's you can download and burn to a cd that will let you reset that. we use the Ultimate Boot CD at work all the time to reset the local admin password.

[Guest Lester Weevils]

Motasyco's caps lock idea shouldn't be ignored if that hasn't already been checked. Along the same lines, sometimes keys can get gunk in them and stick down. A stuck-down shift key or whatever could also be maddening.

[KahrMan]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I will burn a cd today and try it out tonight.

You don't have the caps lock on, do you?

I did check that. My wife is not very computer literate so that was one of the first things I checked.

Motasyco's caps lock idea shouldn't be ignored if that hasn't already been checked. Along the same lines, sometimes keys can get gunk in them and stick down. A stuck-down shift key or whatever could also be maddening.

Hadn't thought about a stuck key. Will check that out tonight.

[BryanP]

I've used this for years to reset local administrator passwords when necessary. Works on NT/2K/XP/Vista/Win7

Offline NT Password & Registry Editor

[lunarpowered]

Hadn't thought about a stuck key. Will check that out tonight.

Just type the password into the username field and see what is displayed. If it displays what you typed then you don't have a stuck or malfunctioning key.

[Steelharp]

Get a MAC.

[lunarpowered]

Get a MAC.

Oh look, it's every MAC user who isn't editing graphics:

[Steelharp]

lunar, there's nothing there...?

[lunarpowered]

Aw, it worked in the preview post, but apparently the site doesn't like animated gifs.

[Oh Shoot]

Aw, it worked in the preview post, but apparently the site doesn't like animated gifs.

Animated GIF and TGO sympatico.

Somehow, offsite linking to that site is prevented, although the image DOES show now and then, weird.

Here it is,saved and uploaded to one of my sites:

- OS

Edited November 25, 2010 by OhShoot

[JeffL]

http://ophcrack.sourceforge.net/'>Ophcrack will get the job done.

This for the win. It will recover most Windows passwords. The Offline NT Password Editor works too, but there's a higher likelihood of it FUBARing your registry.

[titan14]

Also check number lock key...my damn tablet at work does this crap to me sometimes.

[TGO David]

Oh look, it's every MAC user who isn't editing graphics:

This is the one place I thought I'd never witness techie dick measuring and here it is. *sigh*

[lunarpowered]

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[Steelharp]

Captain!

[KahrMan]

Need some more help. I tried Ophrack and Offline NT Password Editor but coud not get either to work. The problem is I could not get her laptop to boot off the cd. I tired making the both cds from a Mac and a PC. I would put the cd in and restart. As the it starts up it gives you the choice of what to boot off of. i would select the cd drive but it would not boot up off any of the cds i made.

Any suggestions or anybody in Nashville want to help me out? I pay in beer or ammo...

[lunarpowered]

I would totally work for ammo if I was in Nashville.

It sounds like you may have burned the Ophcrack executable to a disc instead of burning the LiveCD ISO: Ophcrack

If it is the LiveCD you are having trouble booting from or burning to a disc then let me know and we can see about getting one shipped to you.

[KahrMan]

It was the liveCD ISO that I burned to a disk and tried to boot from. I appreciate the offer to send one to me. Not sure what I did wrong in downloading or burning the cd. I will pm you an address. Thanks.