Forgot Vista User Password!

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Phimp

Gawd
Joined
Dec 9, 2006
Messages
596
I was using Vista as my main OS for several months, then installed XP on a second drive because I couldn't get some random program to work under vista.

I used them side by side regularly, until I eventually found myself using XP solely.

I just tried to load up Vista for the first time in a couple months, and *gasp* the password I thought I had it set to is incorrect.

So ya, I went through the usual - trying to remember the password and such, no luck.

I made a password reset disk with a usb drive a few months back, but I can't find the damn thing!

With XP, I have always just had the "Administrator" user enabled but not shown on the login screen, and set the password to my main password that I use for a lot of things and shall never ever ever forget. So in the case that I do forget my XP user pass, I can just hit Ctrl+Alt+Del twice on the login screen, type in "Administrator" and the main password and then reset the other username's password once logged in as Administrator.

Vista is to uptight to allow anything like this... so what the hell am I supposed to do?

I didn't have file encryption on, so I can access all of the files on the Vista drive through XP, but I'd still like to have my OS (all tweaked, customized, and fine tuned with programs and such installed) back.

Help!

Oh, and I have absolutely no faith in password cracking utilities. The password was most likely several characters and included numbers and mixed caps. So a dictionary attack is out of the question and a brute force attack would take months if not years.

So is there any way to access that Administrator account in Vista? through the login screen? I'm fairly certain I have it enabled...

or how about editing Vista's registry through XP since I have access to all of the Vista drive, and then through the registry add the Administrator account to the Vista login screen...

AGGHH!!!
 
Search for "Offline NT Password and Registry Editor" - this will probably lead you to the tool that lets you manipulate the SAM database from a boot CD. The SAM is where account information and password hashes are stored, though I think there are situations where this is not really the case.

Good luck.
 
BillLeeLee said:
Search for "Offline NT Password and Registry Editor" - this will probably lead you to the tool that lets you manipulate the SAM database from a boot CD. The SAM is where account information and password hashes are stored, though I think there are situations where this is not really the case.

Good luck.
Click to expand...

Agreed, that's probably the easiest solution - I've used it myself at work to get admin access to a machine no-one could remember the password to. It's easier to just replace the hash rather than try to crack the one you have.

(And this kind of program is why if anyone has physical access to the machine, all security bar strong encryption is useless.)
 
You don't need to crack the password. There are programs that will allow you set the SAM password hashes to something known, or reset them all together (either way if you use any EFS you will lose those files forever unless you have the correct certificate backed up). NT Login passwords (non-domain) are a white picket fence not a prison wall, there not designed to keep highly technical attacks at bay (that's what encryption is for) :D, and the OS can't protect itself if its not running
 
Hate to say this but write your passwords down somewhere in future. I have a notebook that I keep for all my passwords to forums, etc. in.
 
If you know your Administrator password, then you can just bring up the advanced startup options by pressing F8 before windows starts and choosing any of the safe modes. The Administrator account should be available to log into.
 
Ya, I tried booting in safe mode because I figured it would show all users.
It only showed the one.
So maybe I don't have the Administrator account enabled for that installation... llaaaaaammmeee.
hopefully I can find that password reset usb drive :rolleyes:
 
Get a vista live cd and reset the password with it.It's must easier and faster

godd luck!
 
I found the password reset usb drive I made a while ago. But no luck, I'm guessing the password was changed after creating the reset disk.
It throws this error when entering in a new password and a password hint:
"An Error occurred while the wizard was attempting to set the password for this user account."

nukleuz said:
Get a vista live cd and reset the password with it.It's must easier and faster
Click to expand...
Uh.. how would I reset the password from a Vista Live CD?
Sounds simple, but not understanding how that would be possible... unless I put something like OPHCrack on the cd also...


Otherwise, In the morning I'll backup the drive with DriveImage XML in case EFS was turned on for some stupid reason (I never have this turned on, but better safe than sorry) and try out the "Offline NT Password & Registry Editor"

Thanks for the help
 
Phimp said:
I found the password reset usb drive I made a while ago. But no luck, I'm guessing the password was changed after creating the reset disk.
It throws this error when entering in a new password and a password hint:
"An Error occurred while the wizard was attempting to set the password for this user account."

Uh.. how would I reset the password from a Vista Live CD?
Sounds simple, but not understanding how that would be possible... unless I put something like OPHCrack on the cd also...


Otherwise, In the morning I'll backup the drive with DriveImage XML in case EFS was turned on for some stupid reason (I never have this turned on, but better safe than sorry) and try out the "Offline NT Password & Registry Editor"

Thanks for the help
Click to expand...
the vista live cd will allow you to change the pasword to whatever you want but you can't recover the old password
it's very simple with live cd's,just boot up the machine with the live cd and everything else is pretty much straight forward
 
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