Reset Windows Password

Reset your Lost or Forgotten Administrator Password in Windows

By Stephan Stemmett / Aseem Kishore
What to do if you’ve forgotten your password? It’s never fun forgetting a password, especially if you have a lot of important data on your computer, but there are tools and methods that allow you to get access to your data without ever needing to know what the original password was.

 

Note, you will have to open command prompts & type DOS commands, but if you are an Existing IT Experts client, as long as you are on the Internet, we can also reset it for you at any time remotely.

 

 

Windows 7 & Windows 8.1 Reset Password

 

There are two ways you can go about resetting a password for a user account in Windows 7 and Windows 8.1. Both methods work on both operating systems, which is really convenient. The first method uses the Windows 7 or 8.1 installation DVD and the second method involves using a third-party tool. If you don’t have your install CD/DVD, then use the second method.

 

Get your supplied installation disc for Windows 7 or 8.1 and load it into your CD/DVD drive. Restart your computer and boot up from the disc. Note that you might have to change the boot order in your BIOS before the system will boot from the disc.

 

 

For Windows 7, the first screen will make you pick your language, keyboard, etc. Just leave those as default and click Next. For Windows 8, it will be similar. On the next screen, you’ll see a Repair your computer link at the bottom. Click on that link.

 

 

On the next screen for Windows 7, System Recovery options should find your Windows 7 install. Click on the Use recovery tools radio button and then click Next.

 

 

Finally, click on Command Prompt to open the command prompt. For Windows 8, after you click on Repair your computer, you’ll need to click on Troubleshoot.

 

 

Next, click on Advanced Options at the bottom.

 

 

Finally, click on Command Prompt at the far right.

 

 

Now you should be at the command prompt whether you were using Windows 7 or Windows 8.1. Now we have to type in two simple commands.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you get an error message like cannot find the path, etc., then use a different drive letter than C. For example, type in the same commands, but replace C:\ anywhere with D:\. I had this problem on Windows 8.1 and using D:\ fixed it. Close the command prompt windows and choose Continue if using Windows 8.1.

 

Now you can go ahead and reboot your computer and don’t boot to the DVD. Actually, after you run the commands, you can take out the disc and then reboot. When you get to the Windows login screen, go ahead and press the SHIFT key 5 times.

 

 

A command prompt box should pop up on top of the login screen in Windows 7 and 8.1. Here you have to type in one final command to reset the password for the user account:

 

 

Note that you don’t need to use the quotes if the username is just one word like John. Since the example username is two words, we had to use the quotes. The password can be anything you like. Once you have done this, close the command prompt window and type in your new password to log into your account! 

 

Windows 10 Reset Password

 

The procedure for Windows 10 is very similar to that of Windows 8, but requires slightly different commands. To get started, follow the instructions I have above for Method 1 under Windows 7 and 8.1 until you get to the command prompt. Follow the directions for Windows 8.1 as those are the same for Windows 10.

 

Once you get to the command prompt, type in the following commands:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Close the command prompt and then click on the Continue button to load Windows normally. Go ahead and take out the CD/DVD or USB drive before you reboot. At the login screen, you have to click on the ease of access icon at the bottom. This will pop up a command prompt window.

 

 

Now at the command prompt window, we use the same command like we used for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Again, you’ll need to use quotes around the username if it is more than one word.

 

Now close the command prompt window and simply type in your new password and you will be logged into Windows 10! 

 

Remember, If you are an Existing IT Experts client, as long as you are on the Internet, we can also reset it for you at any time remotely.

 

Should you still require any assistance resetting your password, feel free to contact us:

 

IT Experts are specialists in this field.

Contact us for any assistance that you need.

In a matter of minutes we can remotely log into your computer – safely and securely – to assist you with any issues you might experience.

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