Password Reset

How to Reset a Windows Password in Regedit at Boot​

This is a fairly simple way to reset / change your Windows user account password if, for whatever reason you can't gain access to your account.​

   Note

A big thank you to Everlong for helping me sort the last steps of this.

This tutorial can be used to reset the password in Windows 7 or Vista.​

   Information

If you don't have a proper Windows installation disk, have a look at the link below to create a repair disk that can be used to reset your user account password in Windows 7 and Vista.

(Windows 7) System Repair Disc - Create

(Vista) Create a Recovery Disc - Vista Forums

   Warning

Making changes to the Windows Registry has the potential to disable the PC, if you have any concerns over using the information set forth here please feel free to post a question in this same tutorial and we will be glad to help.

Be Advised: if you use this method to reset you're user account password ANY / All access to encrypted files stored in the account will be lost.

Let's get Started!

1) The Boot Priority in the BIOS needs to be set to boot first from the optical drive; insert your Windows disk and re-start the PC.
At the first screen select your language then Repair your computer then it'll do some searching, at System Recovery Options dot Use recovery tools then select the OS and click next; while there make note of the OS drive letter, it may not be C: like mine is D:.

2) At the next screen select "Command Prompt" then in the Command window type "regedit" (without the quotes) and hit enter.

3) In the Registry Editor window that opens click to select "HKey_Local_Machine" then at the "File" menu select "Load Hive".


4) In the "Look In" in the "Load Hive" window that opens navigate to (in my case) LocalDiskD:\Windows\System32\config\SYSTEM and click "Open".


5) In the "Load Hive", "Key Name" box give the new key a name e.g. " 123 " (it can be whatever you like) and click OK.

6) In the left pane of the registry Editor window click the " + " sign to expand the "HKey_Local_Machine" key then click the " + " sign to expand the "123" key then click to select the "Setup" key.

7) Now in the right pane right click "SetupType" and select "Modify", set the "Value data" to " 2 " and click OK.


8) Again in the right pane right click "CmdLine" and select "Modify" and set the "Value data" to "cmd.exe" and click OK.

9) Now just as a precaution, close the Registry Editor at the "File" menu click "Exit"; then in the Command window that's still open type "regedit" and hit enter to open the Registry Editor again.

10) In the Registry Editor click the " + " sign to expand HKey_Local_Machine and click to select the new "123" key, at the "File" menu select "Unload Hive" and click "Yes" for the "Are you sure ..." question.



11) Now close the Registry Editor at the "File" menu click "Exit" then in the Command window type "exit" and hit enter to close the Command window, then remove the Windows disk and restart the PC.

12) When the PC restarts a Command window will open, in that window type "net user <username> <new password>" mine is (net user "Bare Foot Kid" Test6) be advised: if you have a username like mine, with spaces, you must use " " quotes around the user name; when you get the "Command Completed Successfully" type "exit" in the Command window and hit enter; at the logon screen use the new password you chose.

   Tip

If you like, you could type net user in the command prompt and press Enter to see a list of all names for each user account on the PC to help use with step 12.

Enjoy!

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Reset the Password of a User Account in Windows 7
• How to Change the User Account Password if Unable to Login to Windows
• How to Change the Password for Your or Another User Account in Windows 7
• How to Create a Windows 7 Password Reset Disk
• How to Create a "Forgotten Password Wizard" Shortcut in Windows 7 and Vista
• How to Create a "Password Reset Wizard" Shortcut in Windows 7 and Vista
• How to Use System Restore to Change User Account Password
• How to Prevent or Allow a User to Change their Password in Vista and Windows 7
• How to Remove the Password for Your or Another User Account in Windows 7
• How to Create, Change, and Use a Password Hint in Windows 7

 

[mcuk2001]

Thank you very much

 

[JPGernaat]

How to Reset a Windows Password in Regedit at Boot

I have followed the steps as given twice but on each occasion my computer rebooted to Windows login and did not open a Command window so that I could reset my password.

I had the hard drive of my HP Pavilion dv7 replaced because I received a warning notification that the drive was going to crash. When I received the computer the first thing I did was remove Office 2010 preloaded software and Norton software. Then I tried to to a Windows update but received a message that the service was not active. After looking on the web for solutions and trying the Recovery Disk I created when I first bought the computer and having no luck I decided to use restore the System Image I created when I first purchased the computer. Unfortunately, I created the system image after assigning a password to the Windows login. I've tried all the passwords I might have created based on the hint that I set and all other passwords I have used in the past years but with no luck.

I'm looking for a way to reset the password so that I see if this image of the software on my computer will function.

Will appreciate any help.

 

[z3r010]

Try option 5 here - http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/238737-user-account-reset-password-windows-7-a.html

 

[JPGernaat]

How to Reset a Windows Password in Regedit at Boot

Thanks you. It took several attempts with different software to create the bootable disc but finally I've had success and I'm back in my computer.

I don't think I'm out of the woods yet but that is another Thread topic.

 

[mediaphreak]

there is also another way:
follow the same procedeure for booting with a windows install disk.
use the command line option from the start up disk.

Find out where your windows drive is. it wont be c: most of the time im not shure why. i use notepad.exe from the command line and click open to browse the files

in the %systemroot%\windows\system32 folder there is a file called sethc.exe. move this file to another folder so you dont loose it this is the file for sticky keys. next rename cmd.exe to sethc.exe in the system32 folder. next restart your computer and at the logon screen press the shift key 5 times. it will open a command prompt where you can change your password using the net user command in step 12 above.

you can either use the notepad to rename the files or the xcopy command like this:

move the file to the root
xcopy f:\windows\system32 sethc.exe f:\
rename cmd.exe
xcopy f:\windows\system32 cmd.exe sethc.exe

ive been using this trick for a while and i dont have to mess with the registry

 

[MirzaAsad]

Love you for this awesome tutorial.I googled a lot about this problem, went through several forums,videos,blogs posts how to's even tried a few tutorials from sevenforums as well but to no avail.
If anyone you ever forget your password and tries to access windows 7 administrative account without having a password reset key.This is your solution

Once again a very very special thanks to you my BARE FOOT KID.Keep posting great tuts.

 

[MiketheTyke]

WORKED!

Was locked out of my Win 7 Home because I forgot the login password.

Spend the last 4 hours burning boot disks from Iso's, trying lots of ideas, to no avail.

THIS WORKED %100!

I registered to the forum to make this one post in absolute appreciation for "Bare Foot Kid", who saved my bacon.

Thanks again.

 

[Golden]

and welcome to the forum!

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello MiketheTyke, welcome to Seven Forums and I'm glad it was a help!

 

[Nandoz]

Thanks alot

 

[DocBrown]

Used this on a student's Vista Home Basic computer. Worked perfectly in about 15 minutes. But I cannot find a way to make a password CD in Home Basic

 

[Brink]

Hey Doc,

Do you mean creating a password reset disc like in the tutorial below?

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/64742-password-reset-disk-windows-7-vista.html

 

[DocBrown]

Yes, I tried that and typing "pas" in the Vista Home Basic does not bring up any options. I saw on our Vistax64 forums that there was a way to make a floppy or USB password reset in one of your tuts. This laptop has NO floppy, so I will try the USB after it does 82 Windows updates. Student has been locked out of it for several months & I don't think they ever did any updates.


Thanks Shawn

 

[Brink]

Oh my. Good luck.

 

[Girlicious]

Hey, will my files be deleted if I do this or will they be safe?

 

[Brink]

Hello Girlicious, and welcome to Seven Forums.

No. It will only reset the password to nothing for the user account.

 

[Celestes]

Thank you for providing this. I made the system repair disk on the laptop, (ty for the instructions), dealt w/bios to boot it, followed your easy step by step instructions and made it to the very end. And then after restarting the command box, where I was to type in my new password, did not appear and instead I was at the windows screen asking for my forgotten password. I rebooted again and unfortunately no command box. Should I insert disk and repeat all steps, or is there a quicker way?
Thank you so much

 

[Brink]

Hello Celestes, and welcome to Seven Forums.

You might give it a try again in case there may have been a mistake made the first time.

If not, then you might see if any of the options in the tutorial below may help you reset your password. Option Five works best.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/238737-user-account-reset-password-windows-7-a.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Celestes]

Thank you Shawn for your quick response. Attempted again and now taking your advice and trying the new link, ty again.

 

[Brink]

You're welcome Celestes. Please let us know how it went.