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[csziggy]

This message was self-deleted by its author (csziggy) on Sun Jul 28, 2013, 01:53 AM. When the original post in a discussion thread is self-deleted, the entire discussion thread is automatically locked so new replies cannot be posted.

[steve2470]

1. maybe this link will help ?

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2852-password-reset-disk-create-usb-flash-drive-windows-8-a.html

[csziggy]

3. Thank you!

I found some possibilities, then I was told they needed to recover the password, not reset it. So I found an article with 7 password recovery utilities reviewed and pointed them at that.

The biggest difficulty is that the computer is 300 miles away, the people who are there are not computer people and currently use Apple products, and we don't really want Dad to know they've cleaned his computer up. An additional complication is that Dad would not remember a new password while he is likely to remember the one he's used on his computers for the last thirty years.

I am soooooo happy to be 300 miles away.

ETA - the article I found was for Win 7 but I'm hoping at least one of the utilities will work.

[Phillip McCleod]

5. with windows you can try to do both .. recover or reset ..

.. since user accounts aren't *required* to have passwords like they are in Linux. i have found it's generally most effective to reset the password to null, then set it manually once i'm in.

but if you're off the hook then i guess it's all academic! here's links for the tools i use at work for resetting win passwords. they are both free and work as advertised..

http://www.lazesoft.com/
http://sourceforge.net/p/boot-repair-cd/home/Home/
http://www.supergrubdisk.org/rescatux/

[csziggy]

6. The problem is there is only one account - the administrator one

So unless we can find that password, we can't make any changes in the programs and other things.

I'm not completely off the hook - I'll be there next week and if the problems aren't solved I might be stuck fixing them. I do have a solution - an old Vista laptop I'm not using. It's completely clean so if we can put his email info on, that will at least let Dad keep in touch with his grandkids. He hasn't been able to do that for over a month, so that will be great for him.

[Phillip McCleod]

8. ah.. well you can reset the admin password too.

once you boot up lazesoft or whichever, it will list all the accounts and ask which account(s) you want to reset passwords for, including 'administrator'. when you're done resetting, then you restart and voila'! in like flynn.

[gvstn]

7. I'm not certain I understand the situation

If there is only one account then is it the case that you cannot log in at all? You have no access to the OS?

If that is the case then I think your solution is to use something like the Lazesoft password reset disc to remove the password then login to the account and go to Control Panel and set the password to his usual password. PCloginnow is similar software and should work on Win8 although it doesn't say so. Lazesoft looks promising but I have never used it.

I don't have Win8 but one problem you may run into is getting the computer to boot from the disc. The UEFI BIOS would have to be set to allow booting from CD/USB on some machines. Maybe someone more familiar with that process could elaborate.

[Phillip McCleod]

2. i use lazesoft usually..

Or rescutux if that doesn't work. Haven't tried on win but since it is really just ugly win I would wageer they work.

[csziggy]

4. See my other reply - the situation got more complicated

[Yeaney]

9. Reset Forgotten Windows 8 Password with Windows Password Recovery Tool

This video guide may help you: " target="_blank">

[hrmjustin]

10. Welcome to DU my friend!

[csziggy]

12. You have to create that ahead of time

When you know the password, you can create a password recovery disk. From what I read on Microsoft's site, you can't create that tool on disk unless you are already in the system.

I didn't get a chance to talk to my sister about it when I was visiting, but they did get into Dad's system and clean it up.

Thank you for your suggestion and welcome to DU!

[gangkong]

11. I Have Ever Reset Lost Windows 8 Password with Windows Password Key

[hrmjustin]

13. Welcome to DU my friend!

[Reiniesoie]

14. reset disk

If you want to a reset disk for Windows 8, two ways you can try. You can download Ophcrack with a blank DVD/CD or a formatted USB drive, then create a disk. The second can be more effective. You can download Anmosoft Windows Password Reset from http://www.resetwindowspassword.com/reset-windows-8-password.html

[hrmjustin]

15. Welcome to DU my friend!

[ZacharyPaterson]

16. Re: Windows 8 password reset disk?

For Windows 8 password I like using reset disk or reset software. The first method you can prepare one before password forgotten. The reset software you can think about Windows Password Killer, from http://www.windowspasswordkiller.com

[SleeplessinSoCal]

17. Sorry. Windows 8 is making me nuts

I really don't like it. But I noticed that many features don't need disks or programs. Search "Change your Password" and see if that works.