Cannot access Windows 7 PC


  1. pdowd
    Posts : 1
    Windows 7 Pro - some 32b and some 64b
       New #1

    Cannot access Windows 7 PC


    I am the I.T. department for an ophthalmology private practice. I'm new to this role here and have inherited a great many things. One of those is a series of HP / Windows 7 PCs. Currently, I am attempting to repurpose one of those PCs. For these machines, there is no historical trail whatsoever. I have neither the discs, nor the passwords to the accounts currently installed (including Admin password that is local to the machine).

    All I really wish to do is restore the machine to factory default. However, I cannot access any user account on the machine. I know that there are many solutions out there, but cost is an issue as budgetary constraints require cost neutral options as frequently as possible.

    Can someone recommend a way for me to prompt the machine to begin a restore, or even to just reset the passwords? Any help would be greatly appreciated. The product sticker on the machine states Windows 7 Pro OA.

    -pete
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  3. Brink
    Posts : 72,058
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
       New #2

    Hello Pete, and welcome to Seven Forums.

    The link below at HP can help show you how to do a factory recovery at boot or with the recovery discs. You'll need to scroll down a bit to see those sections.

    HP Support document - HP Support Center

    Hope this helps, :)
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  4. Total
    Posts : 365
    Windows 10 Pro - 64 bit
       New #3

    I have used this before to reset passwords on computers Offline Windows Password & Registry Editor

    (Option Five)
    User Account - Reset Password in Windows 7
    Last edited by Brink; 14 Nov 2013 at 22:24. Reason: added a tutorial for more info
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  6. gregrocker
    Posts : 50,642
       New #4

    If it has a readable Product Key on the COA sticker then you can also do a Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 without the HP bloatware. Everything needed is in the blue link.

    This is a much preferred install to the factory pre-install which with HP has the worst load of bloatware in the industry, including duplicate utilities which interfere with better versions built into Win7.

    Once you get a model install for your company you can capture it in a backup image, generalize it using SysPrep to move HD to another computer then deploy it to other PC's as needed.
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