Windows 10 Password cracking

Unless you use a microsoft account, there's no change. Local passwords can be blanked using boot disks like yours. If your win10 is encrypted however, bootdisks don't work unless they let you enter the encryption keys, first.

McKnife, they're using a 'vanilla' Windows 10 with no encryption. We've gone down the path of password resetting through Microsoft as the user did create a new Microsoft account and cannot remember the password. However, the problem is that the email address (and username the set includes a typo (@ooutlook.com), so even if an email with password reset instructions was sent to them, they couldn't receive it.

Is there any way of enabling the display of the default local 'Administrator' account or something, or is that not an option?

I can remove the HDD and connect external to our testing machines here, so if there is some way of isolating or resetting the password this way, we can try it.

"Is there any way of enabling the display of the default local 'Administrator' account or something, or is that not an option?" Sure, using your nt password and registry editor ("pogostick") boot disk.
Activate the account "administrator" with it, and set its password blank, logon with it, dump that ooutlook-account and create new accounts as needed.

Can you use Pogostick offline to reset the password (as also suggested by McKnife above)?

Thanks McKnife and John Hurst. NT Password seems to lock up (I've made sure I have the most recent version, even though that latest version is several years old), but I'll give it another try now and will let you know how I go.

Hi guys, It still gets stuck after:

"Decompressing Linux... (etc)"
"Booting Kernel"

Just sits there for ages and ages (30mins +) until I decide that I've been more than patient.

Any ideas why this is occurring?

I thought it might be an SSD which was also connected, but this has since been disconnected and the same issues are seen. No USB drives or devices other that a USB kdb & mouse are connected.

That boot disk boots an OS (small Linux) and not all hardware is cooperating with it.
What you should do and what always works is this: https://www.technibble.com/bypass-windows-logons-utilman/
It only needs some windows boot medium (USB or dvd) with win7/8/10 on it.

Hey guys,

Sorry for my delayed reply- just spent a week in Northern Australia which was amazing!

I'll be trying all previously-unattempted solutions shortly and will let you know how I go.

...

nobus, replaced RAM with known-working and still had a problem. Did remove drive and connected it to another PC and ran NTPassword on it. All appeared to work well, but now Windows won't boot and startup repair doesn't seem to do the trick.

how far does the boot go?  what screens do you see - and the last one?

nobus, when the PC boots I'm able to see the motherboard (ASROCK) splash screen with the function key options in the lower-right corner of the screen. Other than the logo and text, the screen in pretty 'black'. However, shortly after the splash screen disappears, the screen brightens slightly (but noticeably), then the monitor flicks up with a notification for a split second pertaining to it's input. The ASRock splash screen is seen again, but this time after it disappears I'm met with an option to conduct a Windows Startup Repair scan or to start the PC normally. I'm not even getting to the Windows splash screen.

>>    I'm met with an option to conduct a Windows Startup Repair scan or to start the PC normally  <<  this indicates it is booting from the disk - but cannot get to the end; probably a corrupt os

This has nothing to do with passwords imo

for repairing,a windows system, best boot from a windows 10 install cd - and choose repair this pc

how was this system setup?  you talked about a liinux version?

nobus, this system was initially a Windows 7 PC which was upgraded to Windows 10 (automatically by Microsoft while the client was away from her PC). She wants it rolled back to Windows 7 as soon as I can get into it, assuming that we haven't gone past the 30 days (I fear we may have).

I'll run the OS repair and we'll see how that goes - you're right, this is a separate issue now to the original password cracking assistance request.

I only mentioned linux as part of running NTpassword on boot via a CD/DVD.

ok - tx for the info - it clears up some bits
i had a few problems with riollback - that did not work well after the rollback; and had to do a fresh install
i hope you will have more luck !

there are many win10 problems...

nobus, you're not wrong, though I'm starting to warm to it as an OS, but still think Win7 was the most stable OS they've ever put out... at least, on first release it seemed to me to be better than any other Windows OSs at that same stage of development.

You can honor more than one person if you found the suggestions helpful.
If you have difficulties using the methods in suggestions, let us help you - we know how to overcome problems. It's better than to say "in the end, after nothing has worked" :-)

>>   but still think Win7 was the most stable OS  <<  many still say that about XP
but even if i'm no fan of win10 - we will have to use it; if not now - then later on, unless there 's a fast upgrade to windows11 coming out

Thanks to all who assisted with this fix!