Reset your lost Windows password

November 27th, 2008 | 1 Comment |

Just had to reset a lost Windows XP password for the second time and thought it would be useful for myself to have a howto online:

  1. Boot from the System Rescue CD
  2. Mount the disk:
    ntfs-3g /dev/sda1 /mnt/windows -o force
  3. This depends on the OS install if there are caps used, but usually:
    cd /mnt/windows/Windows/System32/config
  4. List the account in the SAM datbase:
    chntpw -l SAM
  5. Reset the password of the Administrator:
    chntpw -u Administrator SAM
  6. Press 1 to clear the current password
  7. Reboot the server/workstation:
    reboot

So if you’ve forgotten your Windows XP / 2000 / 2003 password this is the way to clear it or reset it.




Posted in Various | Tags: Howto, windows
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One Response to “Reset your lost Windows password”

  1. BenG says:
    Thursday, November 27, 2008 at 23:47

    I have used the live boot CD below before. Boot off it and press enter a bunch of times. It then lists all the local users on your Windows machine. No command line work, its all menu driven (ugly, but menu driven)
    http://home.eunet.no/pnordahl/ntpasswd/

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