Methods and Tools for Resetting Windows Password for All Windows Versions

As a system administrator, you are likely to be confronted with this problem that you lose the admin rights on your PCs. Even if you don’t forget your password now, you should be acquainted with the solutions. Anyway Windows password may bug you with this problem sooner or later. I must admit that I forgot windows password more than once when I just began to use Windows 7. That’s why I would like to write this article and summarize some useful solutions.

If you forgot Windows 7 password without any other account with administrator rights, things would be really tricky. Nevertheless, there are various solutions and free tools which are offered here for Windows password recovery for all Windows versions—that is for Windows 7, Vista, Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows Server 2008 R2.Here I only refer to the Windows client editions, but they work for the corresponding server versions as well. However, they are not for resetting lost domain administrator passwords. By the way, each method has its advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, please make sure you select right procedure based on your occasion.

Solution 1, Password reset disk for Windows password recovery
Both Windows Vista and Windows 7 allow you to make a password reset disk. In this way, you are able to reset windows 7 password or Vista password without much hassle. The disadvantage of this option is that you have to make the reset disk before you lost the password. Thus if you don’t create a password reset disk in advance, this option cannot give you any help.

Solution 2, Boot up Windows XP in Safe Mode and log on with the built-in administrator account
When you install Windows XP, you must have set a password for the Administrator account. If you still know this password, you can press F8 when your computer starts to boot up in Safe Mode and log on with the Administrator account. Note that whenever you reset the password for a user using another account, this user will no longer be able to access files that have been encrypted with EFS (Encrypted File System). Stored credentials in the Windows Vault and Internet Explorer will also no longer be available. However, the disadvantage is that this solution doesn’t work in Vista and Windows 7 because the administrator account is disabled by default in Safe Mode with these Windows versions.

Solution 3, Reset the Windows 7, Vista, and XP password by Sticky Keys trick
It is reliable, easy to carry out, and does not require third-party software by using the Sticky Keys trick to reset a forgotten Windows password. All you have to do is boot up from a Windows 7 or Windows Vista setup DVD, launch the Windows Recovery Environment (RE), and then replace the sethc.exe file with cmd.exe. You can also use this method for Windows XP, but you have to use a Vista or Windows 7 DVD.

Here I just list three useful Solutions. They are indeed helpful especially for my windows 7 password recovery. There are many other useful solutions that may do your great favor. And I will list them in my blog next time. Any more questions please leave me a message in the comments box. I will try my best to help you. Good luck!

article from: http://www.top-password-tools.com/methods-and-tools-for-resetting-windows-password-for-all-windows-versions/