david jones
asked on
How do I reset PC back to factory settings
Hi
I have a windows 7 PC and every time when switching on it asks for a user name and password and like a wally ive forgotten it.
I dont have any windows disks either but was trying to reset it back to default . What I mean is as if I had brought it from the shop. I do have the windows registry key if that helps.
Any ideas how I reset back to default.
I have a windows 7 PC and every time when switching on it asks for a user name and password and like a wally ive forgotten it.
I dont have any windows disks either but was trying to reset it back to default . What I mean is as if I had brought it from the shop. I do have the windows registry key if that helps.
Any ideas how I reset back to default.
if you boot from any windows install disk, and go into the repair options command prompt you can manipulate the user names/passwords
or from safe mode (f8) on boot up
at the command prompt go to the windows\system32 folder
reboot the machine
at the username prompt hit the shift key a few times this will bring up a command prompt
exit
now login with the newly created user
or from safe mode (f8) on boot up
at the command prompt go to the windows\system32 folder
ren utilman.exe utilman.exe.old
copy cmd.exe utilman.exereboot the machine
at the username prompt hit the shift key a few times this will bring up a command prompt
net user /add anyname anypassword
net localgroup administrators anyname /addexit
now login with the newly created user
You said you did not have the Windows disks. There is a method to do a Windows 7 Repair Install using the recovery partition. You might try doing that.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html
the windows 10 media creator will give you a bootable usb/iso that you can use
ASKER
How do I get into it. Thats the issue as soon as I turn the pc on it asks me for my user name and password before loading windows and I've forgotten it and trying to get past that stage
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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much depends on which username/password
there are many examples online on how to recover access to one's system when they forgot their password.
as long as you boot the system using other media as was referenced, it takes about as long as it takes the system to bootup plus about 5 minutes to make the requisite adjustments that replaces the on-screen keyboard with a system level command window
a reboot to allow the OS to load
invoke the on-screen keyboard replacement
where
net user <yourusername> *
will allow you to set the new password;
back at the login prompt enter your username/password and you should be back in.
there are many examples online on how to recover access to one's system when they forgot their password.
as long as you boot the system using other media as was referenced, it takes about as long as it takes the system to bootup plus about 5 minutes to make the requisite adjustments that replaces the on-screen keyboard with a system level command window
a reboot to allow the OS to load
invoke the on-screen keyboard replacement
where
net user <yourusername> *
will allow you to set the new password;
back at the login prompt enter your username/password and you should be back in.
ASKER
Many thanks
You are very welcome and I was happy to help
Get the documentation (online) for your computer make and model, look through that for Factory Restore. There is normally a set of steps to do this, sometimes a special key to press.
If you post back here, please tell us what kind of PC you have.