You boozed it up with your friends last night, and now you’ve gone and killed the brain cells that held your Vista password. What do you do? Thankfully there is a way to reset your password so you can get back in, but you’ll need access to another computer, and your wallet, to make it work.
- You go to logon but you can’t remember your password. Try as you may, it’s not letting you in.

- There’s an option to ‘Reset your password’, but you find when you click it that you should have previously created a ‘Reset Disc’ as I described in an earlier tip. If you had created that disc, you’d be able to reset your password without further hassle, but since you didn’t, it’s going to cost you in time, effort, and dollars.

- Active@ Password Changer to the rescue! I always prefer free alternatives to any task, and I’ve read that there is a way to reset a password through a Linux disc, but I’ve also heard you need to know Linux to build it and make it work. In a situation like this where you need to get back in easily and quickly, sometimes spending a few dollars is justified (if you’re time and data isn’t worth the cost of the software, you can always reinstall Vista). On another computer, go to the Password Changer website and purchase Active Password Changer ($39.99-$59.99). The method I’ll be displaying here is available through the less expensive 3.0 version. Look for a review soon that will show how the newer 3.5 version works. Note that there is a demo version available that works for all but the last (and most important) step of actually resetting the password.
- Once you’ve purchased and installed the software (they send you a link to download the software), create a bootable ISO CD/DVD using the steps I describe in my post called “ImgBurn: A free Vista compatible disc image burning package“. You’ll find the iso image file at C:\Program Files\Active Data Recovery Software\Active Password Changer\Pwd-changer-boot-cd.iso if you used the default installation options.
- Once you have the boot disc created, pop it into your Vista computer and start it up. Depending on how your BIOS is set, it may automatically boot from the disc, or you may have to bring up a boot device menu. On Dell computers you can do this by pressing F12 at the beginning of the boot process, most boot screens will display information on what key you need to press to get the menu where you will then want to choose your CD/DVD drive (Leave a comment letting others know your brand of computer and how you got to your boot menu!).
- When the computer boots from the boot disc you’ll see this initial screen asking how you’d like to boot. Type 0 to do a clean boot with the Active@ Password Changer software.

- You’ll then get three options, I selected option 2 (type 2 then press Enter to let the software go find the file it needs.

- The software will search the available drives on your computer looking for SAM databases, which is where your user account information is stored.

- Once it finds it, press Enter to continue. If you have more than one OS installed, you’ll need to select the one you wish to reset.

- You’ll see a list of accounts that exist in the selected SAM database. If you’re the only user on the computer there will likely be three accounts: Administrator, Guest, and your account. Type the number of your account (probably 1) and press Enter.

- You’ll see how the software is going to change that users account, namely by clearing the users password. Press Y to tell it to make the change.

- Done! You’ll be told that the change was made, your password has been reset to be empty. You can now eject the boot disc, and restart your computer.

- Vista will load, and if your’s is the only account, it will automatically login. You’re back baby!

Once you’re back in you should set a password (stay tuned, the next tip will describe how to do that) and you should also create a reset disc as I describe in tip 9 (sure you have a way to reset the password, but it’s always good to have options).

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Comments
Merchant Accounts » ITsVISTA Tip 50: Reset your lost Vista password without a reset disc
Apr 16, 2007 at 4:02 am
[...] post by Joe and a wordpress plugin by [...]
Kevin
Apr 16, 2007 at 2:11 pm
Nice tip. That reminded me to make a reset in the first place.
ITsVISTA Review: Active@ Password Changer - Reset your forgotten password | ITsVISTA
Apr 23, 2007 at 1:01 am
[...] tip 50 I showed you how to reset your Vista password using a DOS based boot disc. The tool that I [...]
4sysops -- Three ways to reset a Windows Vista admin password
Apr 27, 2007 at 3:48 am
[...] of this tool is that you’ll get support if any problem arises. Based on Joseph Fiber’s description of the tool it might be a bit easier to use than Petter Nordhal-Hagen’s solution. This [...]
Three ways to reset a Windows Vista admin password at no mercy!
May 9, 2007 at 6:01 am
[...] of this tool is that you’ll get support if any problem arises. Based on Joseph Fiber’s description of the tool it might be a bit easier to use than Petter Nordhal-Hagen’s solution. This especially [...]
Big-T0nY
Jun 25, 2007 at 5:55 pm
GREAT job man, ive tried about 10 differents ways / programs today to rest my vista password and this one WORKED ! haha
Joe
Jun 25, 2007 at 6:32 pm
Glad to hear it helped!
Helio
Aug 25, 2007 at 12:20 pm
Wow! It just saved my day! Thanks a lot!
Bob
Aug 31, 2007 at 9:52 am
This isn’t a comment but rather a question. Can the ISO burning be done on XP then used on Vista? My two sons are away at college several states away from me. One has XP the other Vista. The one who has Vista changed his password and now cannot remember it.
Thank you,
Bob
melissa
Sep 25, 2007 at 5:25 pm
I use this freebie utility too for vista and is has saved the bacon a few times
http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/
Ikhlaq Hussain
Oct 19, 2007 at 5:37 am
Thank you- saved my bacon with the USB boot disk
I didnt pay any money for it either
i downloaded the program from torrentz.com for free using a torrent downloader
then reset it. Life saver.
Gil
Nov 17, 2007 at 2:35 pm
Roommate needed his computer reset and I used your instructions. Worked exactly as you said it would. The screen captures were a nice touch too. Thanks very much.
Lisa
Nov 25, 2007 at 10:15 pm
hey great help!!!! this I found lot easier, though… job done in less than 5 minutes :]
PEACE
Lisa
Nov 25, 2007 at 10:16 pm
oops forgot the link
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/316013/hack_windows_vista/
Doozi
Dec 9, 2007 at 2:58 am
It didnt work with my laptop. When I type in “winpass” it says “No valid windaows installations found, exiting”.
Any idea??
Thanks
Doozi
Dec 9, 2007 at 3:56 am
Hi,
I have access to my laptoop now!!! I tried something different and it worked quite simply. I had tried ophcrack and Lisa’s idea, but they didnt work…thanks anyway! This one I recommend:
http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/
Good luck!!
Phillip
Dec 17, 2007 at 11:29 pm
I have Active password changer 3.5 …but it does not support raid. (I am using raid 0 with vista) any suggestions
Yves
Jan 4, 2008 at 3:43 am
Regarding the lost vista password, I managed to find this software call Winternals but Microsoft bought their company. I did managed to get myself a copy of their software and I tried it on Vista and it worked using Locked Smith inside the Administrative tool.
Understanding vista
Mar 12, 2008 at 8:10 am
Very nice tip indeed.
I will reference your post on my blog, along with the other tips allready there.
http://www.understandingvista.com
Cell Phones Ringtones
May 3, 2008 at 11:10 pm
Thank you for the instructions. It works
Sasha
May 11, 2008 at 4:17 pm
Hey, this program really helped me after trying so many different programs without success. Thank you very much for your guide
Keep it real
Tim
May 13, 2008 at 10:43 pm
This sounds like it’s gonna work like a charm. I am going to test this out Burning the CD from Windows XP home and test it out at work resetting a Vista Password. In XP I’m gonna use Final Burner, it’s an excellent easy to use program that is cheap and they have a free version.
http://www.protectedsoft.com/provsfree.php
default password vista
Jun 4, 2008 at 10:06 am
[...] and now you??ve gone and killed the brain cells that held your vista password. What do you do? …http://itsvista.com/2007/04/itsvista-tip-50-reset-your-lost-vista-password-without-a-reset-disc/Big Trouble with Password in Vista Business 64 in Windows Vista …Even though I can log in normally [...]
David
Jun 17, 2008 at 9:25 am
It might be safer to reset the admin account password, boot as admin (you have to enable the account but there’s an option to do that too) then change the normal users password from inside Vista. Blanking the password can lock up any encrypted files / directories completely but changing the password through an admin login should be OK
Ask Cr@x for help Thread - Page 20 - Super Off Topic Syndicate
Aug 7, 2008 at 10:07 pm
[...] check this site out. ITsVISTA Tip 50: Reset your lost Vista password without a reset disc | ITsVISTA [...]
bpmadsx
Aug 8, 2008 at 7:25 pm
Everything loads but then it says MS SAM files have not been found. (Press any key.exit…)
No MS SAM Database Path
it has VISTA on it , It has a password that I cannot remember but this is what I get ! ?? any help would be great!
unix86.org » Blog Archive » Three ways to reset a Windows Vista admin password
Sep 25, 2008 at 7:12 am
[...] of this tool is that you’ll get support if any problem arises. Based on Joseph Fiber’s description of the tool it might be a bit easier to use than Petter Nordhal-Hagen’s solution. This especially [...]
Snakefoot
Oct 10, 2008 at 3:03 am
Wouldn’t it be easier to just boot in safemode (will automatically login with default inactive Administrator account), and then reset the password for the user account in question ?
Doozi
Oct 10, 2008 at 3:36 am
I think this doesnt work with Vista, it does work with the older versions, though…
Dawn
Oct 17, 2008 at 8:58 pm
Thank you!! The Active@ Password ($39) worked perfectly on my Vista machine, exactly as you mentioned above & even took less than 10mins to get me back in!
jma
Nov 3, 2008 at 10:15 pm
I get the same thing no ms sam database found, press any key to exit, whats wrong?
Trey
Dec 31, 2008 at 12:20 pm
I have lost my password for my act before, and I don’t know of any side effects it may have, however I have been using this comp for almost a year now with no side affects that I have noticed… I simply removed the password file myself… it doesn’t take much knowledge and no other software… only access to another computer. I simply installed my HD as a slave drive, opened it using windows explorer went to the password file and erased it. that blanked the password as if it was the first initialization of windows being installed… you can find the name and and location of the password file with a little research online. Hope this is a cheaper solution for some good luck ^^
Justine
Jan 12, 2009 at 9:41 pm
Thankyou sooooooo much, just got back into my computer after 3 days of IT people at Acer telling me I have to restore my computer and I would lose all my files.. Thanks again, after and intial hiccup finding imgburn, process took approx 10 minutes best $$$$ I have ever spent…
Josh
Jan 28, 2009 at 4:02 pm
It worked. I paid. Too much from their website, but at least I got everything working again.
These instructions were good. The company website instructions are also quite good.
cencurut
Feb 16, 2009 at 4:01 am
Good article indeed but there’s a catch on it. For me I loves my Trinity Rescue Kit for that matter.
Chris
Feb 18, 2009 at 6:16 pm
Actually you don’t need to know Linux to use it most of the time, though if you do know it, it will be a lot easier. I use Trinity Rescue Kit for resetting passwords. But if you need to get in without someone knowing, you need Ophcrack or another cracker.
Hope it helps,
Chris
travel_chick
Mar 20, 2009 at 11:42 pm
Thanks Doozi! This worked for me INSTANTLY: http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/
Also, the instructions on creatig a bootable USB key were perfect. I’m back in my laptop!!
1
Apr 9, 2009 at 11:36 am
http://rapidshare.com/files/45840874/Active_Password_Changer_v3.5_Professional.rar
RC
Apr 17, 2009 at 4:38 am
A far better tool and it’s free and from sourceforge so you can trust it because it’s all open source
http://ophcrack.sourceforge.net/
It loads a live version of Linux and reads the pw so you can log in.
Paul
Apr 18, 2009 at 9:10 pm
please help me ! i made all and then when i boot up my pc i have the black screen but it says “InitDiskBad or missing Command interpreter : command.com /P /E:256 Enter the full she command line:” SO PLEASE TELL ME IF I CAN REPAIR IT
Tracy
May 13, 2009 at 5:26 pm
Will any of these suggestions work on the Vista HDD password? My daughter’s ex-boyfriend was mad at her and put a HDD password on her laptop and now when she starts the computer it tells her to enter the HDD password. We have tried re-installing the OS but it won’t let her without the password. If we can’t use the software above for the HDD password is there a way to re-install the OS?
LD
May 29, 2009 at 9:22 am
http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/
This is the second time I am needing this tool.
The bootable USB Drive worked flawlessly
Thank you
Z District » Blog Archive » Lost Password - Vista Edition
May 31, 2009 at 4:25 am
[...] Link: ItsVista [...]
Download Torrents
Jun 5, 2009 at 5:57 am
Nice tool very help thanks for the article keep them coming
Tomas
Jun 6, 2009 at 3:45 am
Here is some useful tools as well.
http://www.hiren.info/pages/bootcd
http://trinityhome.org/Home/index.php?wpid=1&front_id=12
website design nyc
Jun 8, 2009 at 6:09 am
your post is helpful and informative
DaRkMaTtEr
Jun 10, 2009 at 3:48 pm
This Program Is easy to USE ! FAST ! And WORKS ! got me laid too haha..
Reset Vista Password
Jun 17, 2009 at 8:47 pm
Thanks… Finally, i will be able to reset my vista password.. Mnay thanks to you….
Ramesh
Jun 17, 2009 at 8:50 pm
Thanks a lot..
http://computer-bloggingtricks.today.com/2009/06/13/vista-password-reset-disk-how-to-recover-windows-vista-password/
helped me to reset vista password….
emily
Jun 19, 2009 at 1:23 am
Long time ago , I was confronted with the password problem. Finally , my friend Jane introduce the Windows password Reset.It helps me access windows. It’s great! http://www.resetwindowspassword.com
venus
Sep 6, 2009 at 6:13 pm
Dear,Joseph
I want to record to the video
I like to record to the video or camera
I love to record to the internet too!
Joseph Pinner
Revan343
Sep 9, 2009 at 6:18 pm
There are better options, mostly because they’re free. The two easiest are OPHcrack Vista if you want your old password back, or the Ultimate Boot CD to reset your password. Both are free downloads, just burn ‘em to CD. There are also DVD versions of UBCD, and you could rig either onto a flash drive.
http://ophcrack.sourceforge.net/download.php?type=livecd
http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/
MrPicky
Sep 19, 2009 at 1:02 pm
I’ve read that there is a way to reset a password through a Linux disc, but I’ve also heard you need to know Linux to build it and make it work.
The Linux way is far simpler, faster, and free.
Use any live CD that allows you to install programs (only until reboot, since it runs in RAM), like Linux Mint. Then install a little program called chntpw .
You DON’T have to build anything. First make sure your connected to the ‘net.
Then you can use the control panel to install chntpw, its a super simple point and click interface. OR if you like the command prompt type the following:
#apt-get update
#apt-get install chntpw
This is the same as the DOS utility, the bonus is that with Linux Mint it finds and configures the SATA controllers automatically, it just works.
http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/
AGuyWhos...
Sep 22, 2009 at 11:52 am
So…I bought the real version, and this is the reason…Something you can load under an OS can be very dangerous! Just think…most virus protections scan the file systems, and there are many things that can be done around, such as loading a keylogger, under the skin. The people making the software work really hard on it, and it is our responsibility as consumers to “pay” for what we use…Just to the right thing, as everything we do comes back…
AGuyWhos...
Sep 22, 2009 at 11:53 am
Oh…and yeah…it worked like a charm, and was in in under five minutes!
happykaka
Sep 23, 2009 at 12:41 am
http://wiki.e107.org/?title=Bypass_Windows_XP_Password there is an article about how to reset windows password. It must be helpful for those who have been locked out of computer
shawn farley
Sep 24, 2009 at 10:54 pm
Forgot your Windows password? Don’t worry.
Download Windows Password Reset from this http://www.resetwindowspassword.com
Install this. Run the application and make a Bootable USB drive. It’s very easy as this software have wizard based interface for that. Just follow the manual.
Now go to the setup screen of the affected computer and set the 1st boot device to USB. Stick the USB drive to the computer and restart the machine. Once your machine boots through USB follow the instructions on the screen. You will get the details in the user manual of Windows Password Reset.
happykaka
Oct 9, 2009 at 9:57 pm
Reset /crack/hack/recovery windows password/admin password/ vista password with windows password unlocker
1. Log onto a computer that can link to the Internet. Download Windows Password Unlocker 4.0 from http://sn.im/wpul and decompress it on that PC. Note that: there is a .ISO file. Burn the .ISO file to a CD.
2.Get out the newly created CD and insert it to the locked computer.
3.Re-boot the locked computer and then follow the process of instructions. Just after a few steps, the old password will be removed.
4.Set new password:
Step 1: Open the “Control Panel
Step 2: Click the “User Account
Step 3: Select the account you wanna set a new password.
Step 4: Click “Changing Account ” and “Set Up Password”, then fill out the form as listed. Click “Create Password”.
happykaka
Oct 9, 2009 at 9:58 pm
Reset /crack/hack/recovery windows password/admin password/ vista password with windows password unlocker
1. Log onto a computer that can link to the Internet. Download Windows Password Unlocker 4.0 from http://sn.im/wpu and decompress it on that PC. Note that: there is a .ISO file. Burn the .ISO file to a CD.
2.Get out the newly created CD and insert it to the locked computer.
3.Re-boot the locked computer and then follow the process of instructions. Just after a few steps, the old password will be removed.
4.Set new password:
Step 1: Open the “Control Panel
Step 2: Click the “User Account
Step 3: Select the account you wanna set a new password.
Step 4: Click “Changing Account ” and “Set Up Password”, then fill out the form as listed. Click “Create Password”.
mark
Oct 20, 2009 at 1:07 am
I would like to introduce Windows Password Recovery Tool 3.0 . it not only supports XP, 2000, and NT, I have personally tested it with Vista Home Premium and Ultimate. It works perfectly to reset any local user account to a blank password. I Wrote it to an old 128mb USB flash drive do this. Booting up and clearing a password takes a minute or two works like a charm. You can download it from http://www.windowspasswordsrecovery. com
annyyu22
Nov 25, 2009 at 4:37 am
Windows Password Recovery Tool 3.0 really works very well .Thank you !and i also find windows password key evry perfect to solve my problem of get back passwork. http://www.lostwindowspassword.com
apple
Dec 21, 2009 at 3:26 am
I recommend a new tool windows password reset 7.0 . It also support windows 7 password reset. And it’s the best tool i ever seen. I’m sure it is helpful for you.
happykaka
Dec 23, 2009 at 1:14 am
I used Windows Password Unlocker to reset the Vista password. Windows Password Unlocker is a professional Windows password recovery tool for those who have lost or forgot Windows passwords including Windows Vista password, Windows 7 passw
PWRecovery
Dec 24, 2009 at 3:22 am
Forgot or lost Windows password? reset Windows 7 password with Password Unlocker Bundle, one of whose functions is to recover windows password for Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows 2003 Server, Windows Vista, Windows 7. ect. This password recovery Bundle is based on friendly GUI, even a computer novice can control the whole process freely. Besides, password unlocker bundle saves a lot trouble. It helps to create a windows password reset CD, with which, you can remove the admin password even you have logged out the computer, yet no reinstalling, no data loss!
Password Unlocker Bundle is a professinaol password recovery kit, which contains series of password recovery tools: Windows password recovery, PDF password recovery, MS documents password recovery, MS Excel password recovery, WinZIP/ZIP password recovery, WinRAR/RAR password recovery, MS SQL password recovery, Internet password recovery, Windows Live/MSN password recovery, MS Access password recovery, Outlook password recovery, and Outlook Express password recovery, etc., No matter you are at home or in office ,the bundle helps to reset the password we forgot or lost. To grasp the opportunity.
Linky Wu
Dec 26, 2009 at 2:32 am
I think the best way for you is to reset your windows password. The Windows password Reset
can solve all your problem within a few minutes. Importantly,No need to call a technician, no need to re-install anything, and you certainly don’t need to reformat. it is a windows password recovery tool. tool that also support vista password recovery tool..
Katie
Jan 8, 2010 at 8:32 am
It is so awesome that I didn’t have to “flatten” my Vista laptop just for forgetting the logon password like a ‘tech-guy’ told me I’d have to. I’m happy to announce that I was successful at resetting my admin password by downloading the free iso file at http://pogostick.net/~pnh/ntpasswd/.
Thanks a bunch and good luck to all of you.
Chris
Jan 26, 2010 at 8:55 pm
If you lost windows password, you can reset windows user account password in safe mode(F8 when booting up). But if you lost administrator password, you must reinstall windows OS or use windows password recovery disk. http://www.windowsloginrecovery.com
eliva
Jan 29, 2010 at 2:37 am
I also didn’t create a reset disk, and I used Advanced Windows Password Recovery 4.0 to reset windows password last time, it works great for me, quickly and no data loss, It’s very easy to use, Just burn the software file on CD and boot from CD.
More info: http://digg.com/software/Advanced_Windows_Password_Recovery_Password_Reset
fiona
Feb 22, 2010 at 8:45 pm
Usually, we can recover Windows admin password in two traditional ways. The first is to change Screen password with another admin account, ; the second is to recover the previous password with the windows password reset disk that had been created before you forgot the password. Take Windows XP for example,
1 At the Windows XP login prompt when the password is entered incorrectly click the reset button in the login failed window.
2 Insert the password reset diskette into the computer and click Next.
3 If the correct diskette Windows XP will open a window prompting for the new password you wish to use.
However, we offen ignore the important of security until we have been locked out of computer. Fortunately, there is still the last way that can unlock your computer without reinstalling – erase Windows password with Windows password reset CD, which can recover admin password for Windows 7/XP/Vista/NT/2000/2003…. Take Windows Password unlocker for example, followings are the steps to create the reset CD
1.Download Windows Password Unlocker from Password Unlocker Official site
2.Decompress the Windows password unlocker and note that there is an .ISO image file. Burn the image file onto an blank CD with the burner freely supported by Password Unlocker.
3.Insert the newly created CD into the locked computer and re-boot it from the CD drive.
4.After launched the CD, a window pop up with all your account names(if you have several accounts) select one of the accounts that you have forgotten its password to reset it. Just one press, this software can remove screen password instantly.
reference: http://www.ehow.com/how_5854459_reset-password-windows-7_xp_vista_nt_2000_2003_2008.html
fiona
Feb 22, 2010 at 8:57 pm
Another related article: http://wiki.e107.org/?title=Forgot_Head_Admin_Password#How_to_Reset.2FBypass.2FRemove_Windows_Admin_Password
How to bypass windows password: http://wiki.e107.org/?title=Bypass_Windows_XP_Password
Davi
Feb 25, 2010 at 9:09 pm
http://www.windows7password.com
asesvn
Feb 26, 2010 at 3:27 am
Forgot windows vista password?Do not be so anxious. I know a tool which can help you bypass windows vista password, need not to reinstall the windows OS, its safely and easily.By using "Any Windows Password Recovery 3.0 " ,could be helpful.
zach
Feb 27, 2010 at 1:18 pm
I personally test a password recovery software named “Windows Login Recovery” which can recover windows vista password. By the way, this can also recover vista administrator password.
Andrew Shouse
Mar 10, 2010 at 2:02 am
i just want to say i have been looking for hours of a way to reset my password and this worked perfectly. i love it and i would recomend it to anyone
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