Windows 7: Admin Password Corrupted - HELP!

This morning I discovered that my admin password is no longer working. I entered it correctly but am unable to run administrative tasks in my regular account. I've had no problems until this morning.

I get an error message: Logon failure: unknown user name or bad password.

I am on a home network and not a domain.



In my regular user account, I can see the following user accounts:

- Me1 (Admin account) with no directories or files in it
- Me2 (regular account that I'm using)
- Public (with directories and files)
- TEMP (with no directories or files)

I'm not sure when or how the TEMP user profile was created. But it is still there when I log off and back on to my regular account.

I am unable to create a new admin account from my regular account and cannot access my admin account.

I want to:

- Fix my corrupted admin password or create a new one.

- Delete the TEMP profile.

At the moment, I am unable to update my anti-virus protection software until I resolve this. I was hoping to avoid anything too complicated but I guess there is no way around that.

I stay offline most of the time anyway but will stay offline completely until I get this resolved.

Please help.

The problem you have is whether the problem is the admin password or corrupt account and i suspect the latter

If it is password issue then you can go at it from different ways

*edit*

found brinks excellent tutorial for you
User Account - Reset Password in Windows 7

Stupid question: how would the account get corrupted if I never open it or use it?

? How does anything break on a computer

I would try to bypass the password see if you can get in
Might also be good to run a sfc scan to check for any general system file corruption
Start>type cmd>right click, run as admin>type sfc /scannow

That sounds interesting but I cannot run anything as an admin.

Okay, I am going to attempt to do a System Restore of the passwords for the User Profile accounts according to the link that you provided:

Password Reset : Using System Restore in Windows 7

However, I am uncertain what CD I will boot into.

Is it the actual Windows CD that will boot into the System Restore?

You can use the original windows 7 DVD (or usb) you installed from or a recovery disc if you created one, either will work

Ok, thanks. I never created a recovery disk (but meant to do so) so I will try the original installation disk and hope that does not get corrupted in the process.

Maybe I should make a copy of it in case. I'm tired of making mistakes and learning the hard way.

For reference the recovery disc can be created on any win 7 machine of the same type ie 32 or 64
Or can be downloaded from net in iso format and burned to disc but if you have install disc you won't need it, create one when u get up and running again then you don't need to keep getting your install disc out

Good to know. Thanks!