Hi All,
What do you do when you can't access your system because of a forgotten password. Here's a new article from me. Hope this helps, but do bear in mind, I cannot be held responsible for any damage to your system as a result of attempting this yourself. Always use a certified engineer where possible.
I've inlcuded the section on local passwords, there is also a section on Windows Domain Administrator passwords on my site. Browse to
Essex IT Support - Professional Support for Essex Businesses to see it in full.
Article snippet below:
We’ve all been there. A client calls up and has forgotten their password. What do you do?
If it’s a Windows Domain User Account, then it’s easy. Just go to Active Directory Users and Computers and right-click the user account and reset the password. Job done.
What do you do if it’s a local account on the PC, or worse still the domain admin account?
First, a little background on Windows passwords.
Windows XP Local Accounts:
The local accounts in XP/Vista etc are held in a database called the SAM database. This is what you need to edit in order to reset passwords. Of course, you can’t access this without logging onto the PC to gain access to the files so a straightforward file edit is no good. Also, it’s not like the SAM database is a straghtforward plain-text file anyway.
The easiest way to edit the SAM database file is with a Boot CD. I tend to use the Trinity Rescue Kit as it contains everything you need. It’s a Linux distribution with a whole lot of useful utilities and it contains a great little SAM editor. Use this and local password can be reset in minutes.
Many Thanks,
Rich
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What to do when you lose your password
