VantaBods
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Windows 8 Local account Password reset
Hi,
I have a problem one of our client have forgotten their password for a local account, running windows 8. I have tried many different password recovery/reset tools but still no joy could you advise?
I have a problem one of our client have forgotten their password for a local account, running windows 8. I have tried many different password recovery/reset tools but still no joy could you advise?
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Windows 8 (and 8.1) local accounts come in 2 flavours. There are true local accounts and then Microsoft Live associated accounts. For a true local account you can use any Windows password reset tool such as www.passwordresetkey.com. For an account associated with a Microsoft Live account you will need to reset the password online here https://account.live.com/resetpassword.aspx
I believe this long standing security hole in Windows may have been finally patched by Microsoft - generally a good thing, but slightly annoying right now as I was currently relying on it to reset a Windows 8 local user password.
Now when you click the Command Prompt you need to enter the password. So this approach is no longer going to work to reset a forgotten password.
Now when you click the Command Prompt you need to enter the password. So this approach is no longer going to work to reset a forgotten password.
http://pogostick.net/~pnh/ntpasswd/
Note these points from the Overview:
o This is a utility to reset the password of any user that has a valid local account on your Windows system.
o Supports all Windows from NT3.5 to Win8.1, also 64 bit and also the Server versions (like 2003, 2008, 2012)
o You do not need to know the old password to set a new one.
o It works offline, that is, you have to shutdown your computer and boot off a CD or USB disk to do the password reset.
o Will detect and offer to unlock locked or disabled out user accounts!
o There is also a registry editor and other registry utilities that works under linux/unix, and can be used for other things than password editing.
It worked perfectly for me. I burned a CD of it and keep it around in my bag of tricks.
Also, I've been on other threads here at EE where I recommended PogoStick, but other experts had these different suggestions:
http://www.howtogeek.com/96805/how-to-reset-your-windows-password-without-an-install-cd
http://www.top-password.com/knowledge/reset-directory-services-restore-mode-password.html
http://www.ultimatebootcd.com
http://trinityhome.org/Home/index.php?content=TRINITY_RESCUE_KIT____CPR_FOR_YOUR_COMPUTER
I haven't tried any of these other ideas, since PogoStick worked perfectly for me, and I also don't know which ones support W8, but I'm passing them along for your consideration. In one of the threads, the author said, "Trinity Rescue Kit [the last link above]...worked perfectly!" Regards, Joe