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      12-11-2007, 11:47 AM   #1
peterg1965
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How to unlock a Vista PC

My son has locked himself out of his Vista PC. He has forgotten his password having set it! His is the only account and is therefore the default administrator. Three days of trying have failed to decypher the password! I have checked online, the Microsoft website simply states that you need to reload windows but I found another that indicates that you can download an ISO file (?) to a CD to make an improvised password reset disk????

Any one any thoughts, i tried to download this file with no success? Reloading Vista would be a nightmare as he will loose a load of data (pictures etc).
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      12-11-2007, 12:22 PM   #2
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You should be able to reset the password but you have to have the original installation CD/DVD.

It should give you an option when entering the wrong password to reset it.

give Google a whirl...normally sorts me out with any problem I have
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      12-11-2007, 12:24 PM   #3
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try this

http://itsvista.com/2007/04/itsvista...-a-reset-disc/
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      12-11-2007, 12:53 PM   #4
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Even if you've lost the password, no need to loose the data. You can download and boot to a Linux CD which will allow you to copy your data off to an external drive if you must.

You can try utilities like the one here, to change the password. Bottom line, you will not loose data unless he encrypted the c: drive. If he did that, you're boned.
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      12-11-2007, 01:05 PM   #5
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I'm not entirely sure what the authentication mechanism in Vista is, but if it's an NTLM hash, you can use http://www.loginrecovery.com/ to reset the hash so that it's a blank password. Just dl and burn the .iso and set your cd to boot first in BIOS. It'll allow you to edit the registry/dat files and reset the password. Read instructions carefully before you proceed.

Forget about the other tricks while the OS is actually loaded, Vista has a new security model that prohibits ordinary users from gaining admin rights. Even my old school tricks don't work anymore on vista

EDIT:

So, nevermind on the bootdisk...differnt SAM files and no LM hashes by default. You're hosed for easy ways to reset the passwd. You'll have to brute force it. Also, if the drive is encrypted in anyway you're additionally hosed.

http://www.irongeek.com/i.php?page=s.../vistasamcrack
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      12-11-2007, 01:08 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by scotw View Post
Even if you've lost the password, no need to loose the data. You can download and boot to a Linux CD which will allow you to copy your data off to an external drive if you must.

You can try utilities like the one here, to change the password. Bottom line, you will not loose data unless he encrypted the c: drive. If he did that, you're boned.
I'm sure I've come across that utility before for resetting an XP administrator password. The website certainly mentions Vista so its worth a try.
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      12-11-2007, 01:34 PM   #7
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You can reset the administrator password for Vista following the instructions here:

http://www.pchell.com/support/forgot...password.shtml

I've done this for XP and it worked fine.
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      12-11-2007, 02:44 PM   #8
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Thanks all. I am away from home until Friday so will give it a go then. My boy is not happy, I told him not to do it, but then off he went and set a password! Not sure I understood all that gum5h03 was saying! I will try the utilities suggested!
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      12-11-2007, 02:52 PM   #9
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Pete... own up... it was you that set a password on the PC to stop Mrs G accessing e90post.com
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      12-11-2007, 03:00 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by peterg1965 View Post
Thanks all. I am away from home until Friday so will give it a go then. My boy is not happy, I told him not to do it, but then off he went and set a password! Not sure I understood all that gum5h03 was saying! I will try the utilities suggested!
Just burn the utility I linked to onto a CD. Stick it in your Sons PC's drive and follow the instructions that come up on screen when you switch on.
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      12-11-2007, 03:07 PM   #11
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How do you recapture "loose" data?
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      12-11-2007, 03:13 PM   #12
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How do you recapture "loose" data?
I have specially trained sheep dogs to round it up.
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      12-11-2007, 03:29 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Z4 Beemer View Post
Pete... own up... it was you that set a password on the PC to stop Mrs G accessing e90post.com
Gordon, Mrs G knows full well it was not me! Honest!

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Originally Posted by needforspeed View Post
Just burn the utility I linked to onto a CD. Stick it in your Sons PC's drive and follow the instructions that come up on screen when you switch on.
NFS I tried the Password & Registry Editor, it is an ISO file (I dont know what this is) and I then downloaded a free ISO programme "ISO buster" to unzip the files. You are supposed to burn the opened files (image files?) to a CD, when i did this it kept burning the ISO file and not the individual files so failed to work. This is stretching my computer knowledge.

I might try loginrecovery.com where you pay to have the password unencrypted, although I will not hold my breath!
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      12-11-2007, 05:26 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by peterg1965 View Post
NFS I tried the Password & Registry Editor, it is an ISO file (I dont know what this is) and I then downloaded a free ISO programme "ISO buster" to unzip the files. You are supposed to burn the opened files (image files?) to a CD, when i did this it kept burning the ISO file and not the individual files so failed to work. This is stretching my computer knowledge.

I might try loginrecovery.com where you pay to have the password unencrypted, although I will not hold my breath!
The ISO file is a 'disc image' - like a photograph of the disc and all it's contents.

Follow the instructions below:

1. Download DVD decrypter from http://www.dvddecrypter.org.uk/

2. Install it and run the programme.

3. Select 'Mode', 'ISO' and 'Write' from the menu bar

4. Click on the folder icon next to 'source' and browse to the ISO file you downloaded.

5. Put a blank CD in your drive and make sure it's selected in the 'destination' pull down menu.

6. Click on the DVD symbol to burn.

If you are so inclined you can use DVD decrypter to make 'region free' copies of any DVD you like, even ones with copy protection.
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      12-12-2007, 02:23 AM   #15
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NFS, you are a star, thanks. I will try this on Friday.
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      12-12-2007, 03:01 AM   #16
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NFS, you are a star, thanks. I will try this on Friday.
No probs Peter - let me know if you need any more help.
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      12-14-2007, 12:34 PM   #17
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Thanks for everyones help. Managed to sort the PC today. Bypassed the password using the CD from the site suggested by NFS. My son is very happy! He has promised me not to set a password again!
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