Lost Administrator Password

[Snappa]

Windows 7 Home Premium 64 Bit
I have forgotten my Administrator password. I have tried a couple of the free password crackers, but no luck. Also tried the command net user, with no luck; I get the "Access Denied" message whenever I try this. I've looked at a lot of the threads here, but they all seem to be just a little bit different.
All I have access to is this other user profile, and I can't install anything on it without the Admin password.
I have the Windows DVD, and have tried a boot repair, but it tells me that the OS is booting correctly (which it is).
Where to from here ? It's wasted a helluva lot of time, and I just seem to be going round in circles.
How can I give this profile I am using Admin rights ? Don't seem to be able to do anything without the Admin password.
Thanks for any advice offered.

 

[TRON2012]

Well you thought about activating system restore with that user? or creating a password reset disk?

 

[BriceH]

I think that the best way to do this is to reset it by editing your registry, as shown in the following tutorial.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/85657-password-reset.html?ltr=P

 

[Jacee]

Can you remember it using your 'hint'?

 

[t-4-2]

Windows 7 Home Premium 64 Bit
I have forgotten my Administrator password. I have tried a couple of the free password crackers, but no luck. Also tried the command net user, with no luck; I get the "Access Denied" message whenever I try this. I've looked at a lot of the threads here, but they all seem to be just a little bit different.
All I have access to is this other user profile, and I can't install anything on it without the Admin password.
I have the Windows DVD, and have tried a boot repair, but it tells me that the OS is booting correctly (which it is).
Where to from here ? It's wasted a helluva lot of time, and I just seem to be going round in circles.
How can I give this profile I am using Admin rights ? Don't seem to be able to do anything without the Admin password.
Thanks for any advice offered.

>>>> Also tried the command net user, with no luck; I get the "Access Denied" message whenever I try this
You got " access denied " because you had to run the cmd as administrator, and you can't do that if you have forgotten the admin password.

If you have not tried this....
Go to safe mode > do you see another admin account next to yours, an admin account that you have not seen before ?
If yes, that is your Built-in Admin account.
By default, it has not password > logon to it, and change your own admin account's password. This time write it down and safe-keep it.

In case you don't know how to go to safe mode....
Restart your computer > immediately and repeatedly, tap F8 key until you see a black and white window. That is your safe mode > use the arrw up/down key to select safe mode.

 

[MacGyvr]

Windows 7 Home Premium 64 Bit
I have forgotten my Administrator password. I have tried a couple of the free password crackers, but no luck. Also tried the command net user, with no luck; I get the "Access Denied" message whenever I try this. I've looked at a lot of the threads here, but they all seem to be just a little bit different.
All I have access to is this other user profile, and I can't install anything on it without the Admin password.
I have the Windows DVD, and have tried a boot repair, but it tells me that the OS is booting correctly (which it is).
Where to from here ? It's wasted a helluva lot of time, and I just seem to be going round in circles.
How can I give this profile I am using Admin rights ? Don't seem to be able to do anything without the Admin password.
Thanks for any advice offered.

>>>> Also tried the command net user, with no luck; I get the "Access Denied" message whenever I try this
You got " access denied " because you had to run the cmd as administrator, and you can't do that if you have forgotten the admin password.

If you have not tried this....
Go to safe mode > do you see another admin account next to yours, an admin account that you have not seen before ?
If yes, that is your Built-in Admin account.
By default, it has not password > logon to it, and change your own admin account's password. This time write it down and safe-keep it.

In case you don't know how to go to safe mode....
Restart your computer > immediately and repeatedly, tap F8 key until you see a black and white window. That is your safe mode > use the arrw up/down key to select safe mode.

That built-in Admin account is disabled by default.

 

[Snappa]

Thanks to BriceH. That allowed me to give the other user profile admin rights, but I still can't change the password for the Admin account, as I still need to know the original password.
I'll try the safe mode method suggested by t-4-2. Can I use the registry method again on the Admin account ? It will be a few days before I can do this.
I'll let you know how I get on.
Thanks everyone.

 

[BriceH]

You should be able to use the registry method on the admin account.

 

[Snappa]

I've just tried the registry method suggested by BriceH, with the Admin folder. It didn't recognise the Admin username; it had to be Administrator, and although I got the "Command Completed Successfully" message, I still can't open the Admin user profile.

At least I have admin rights on another profile.

There isn't another Admin profile in Safe mode.

Anyone have any more ideas ?
Thanks for our help so far.

 

[Snappa]

Latest is that when trying to Switch User into the Admin account, I enter any password, the password entry box disappears, and I am left with my two user icons displayed. No message about "Incorrect Password". Nothing !

I'd still like to reactivate this admin user profile. Any ideas ?

Thanks

 

[Bumpkin]

I saw this a while back, haven't tried this myself.
The directions are here I've lost the password to my Windows Administrator account, how do I get it back?

You will need to download and burn the .iso to a CD.

 

[Snappa]

Lost Administrator Password [Solved]

Also received a message from Bumpkin; don't know why it didn't show up here in the forum. I had already tried that; it is one of the free password crackers I mention above.
I managed to resolve the problem; not sure how. Using the usual Manage Accounts window, I reset the Admin account password (yet again), and for whatever reason, this time it worked !
Problem solved. I'll create the backup disk now.
Thanks to all for your help.

 

[curtiswardwell]

Well, I do not know if I should suggest this, but going to any way. Since everyone is trying to help you crack your password i suggest using OPHCRACK-http://ophcrack.sourceforge.net/download.php. I have used this many times and works great.

 

[Snappa]

Thanks Curtis.

That is the other free password cracker which I noted in my first entry. It didn't help; I can't remember why. As I wrote above; problem is solved.

Thanks for your help.