How can I reset my Windows 10 password without a password reset disk?

[yungman]

Hi Sysprog

It's still downloading, I got 1.1G, still have 0.2G to go. I might not get to it tonight, it's getting late.

Thanks

 

[yungman]

I followed exactly what you said, the green bar is completely green and the "START" button is black and ready. I hit the START again, it is copying the ISO. What do I have to do after it's all green? If the START is black again, what do I have to do? Do I click CLOSE?

I attached the picture of the Rufus setting according to your instruction. Also the content in the USB driver after it's completed.

Is the next step plugging the USB drive to the problem laptop?

Then do I just turn on the computer and let it run?( right now it is off).

Thanks

Alan

 

[sysprog]

Yes. Close Rufus, plug the USB into the machine that has the password problem, hit F10 during the HP startup splash screen, select the USB device as the boot device, then follow the instructions in the https://turbofuture.com/computers/Using-Hirens-Boot-CD-to-Create-Admin-Accounts article to insert the new user account that has administrator authority. If you encounter difficulty. please post again.

 

[yungman]

Yes. Close Rufus, plug the USB into the machine that has the password problem, hit F10 during the HP startup splash screen, select the USB device as the boot device, then follow the instructions in the https://turbofuture.com/computers/Using-Hirens-Boot-CD-to-Create-Admin-Accounts article to insert the new user account that has administrator authority. If you encounter difficulty. please post again.

I am in trouble! I went through running the "howtogeek.com" as suggested in post #2 and installed Ophcrack onto the problem laptop. Now when I power up, it will go to Power-On Authentication page and ask me to login and ask for password EVEN if I hit F10 as fast as possible after I push the power switch. I did set up the password when I installed the Ophcrack. I put in the new password and it will boot up normally and back to the problem I cannot log in even with the new password.
https://ophcrack.sourceforge.io/
I try type in the new password on the power on authentication page and hit F10 right away, I got into the page that said:

Edit Windows boot option for: Windows 7

Path: \windows\system32\winload.exe

Partition: 2
Hard Disk: d4fO4c7f

[ /NOEXCUTE=OPTIN

I have no idea what to do. From there, it just keep booting back to the same thing asking for password and I get stuck. Please help. Anything I can type to get it to boot from the USB drive? I never learn Bios.

Thanks

Alan

 

[yungman]

I absolutely have no luck, I read about how to boot from USB drive, I tried hitting the ESC, Del, Ctrl, F12, F10 on power up, still get into the Power-On Authentication and going nowhere. My laptop is HP Probook 440-03. I even read in HP site.

 

[sysprog]

You will still be able to recover from this, albeit somewhat more laboriously. Am I correct in assuming that you do have the BIOS password that you used Ophcrack to set? Try hitting ESC at startup and then F10 to enter the BIOS setup $-$ you should then be prompted for the BIOS password, which you recently set, and when you enter that, you should see the BIOS setup $-$ if you don't see that, please tell me what happens.

 

[yungman]

You will still be able to recover from this, albeit somewhat more laboriously. Am I correct in assuming that you do have the BIOS password that you used Ophcrack to set? Try hitting ESC at startup and then F10 to enter the BIOS setup $-$ you should then be prompted for the BIOS password, which you recently set, and when you enter that, you should see the BIOS setup $-$ if you don't see that, please tell me what happens.

Yes, I have, I put it in and keep hitting the F10. Some times, I get into the Command mode, but I have no idea what to type into direct the cpu to boot from USB, I think that the road block for me.

Thanks

 

[yungman]

I tried again from power off and hit ESC key right away many time, it still go to Power-On Authentication.

 

[sysprog]

What do you get if you enter the BIOS password and then wait for a response without hitting any keys?

 

[sysprog]

If you get to a command prompt, you can try rstrui.exe to launch System Restore, and from there choose a Restore Point from before you encountered the password problem. Please note that you should use System Restore only with a reliable power source, because if it gets interrupted, it can leave your machine in an obnoxious state. If rstrui.exe doesn't work, please let me know $-$ something will work.

 

[yungman]

I took a few pictures...with camera! 1 shows the power on manu, 2 shows entering password, 3 show the option. I suspect one of them might go there

But I am going to try retrui.exe first

 

[sysprog]

That looks good.

If you want to get rid of the BIOS password, you can go to the last option on the 3rd screenshot, then navigate to a Security tab, and from there to a Change BIOS Administrator Password option, where you can enter and confirm a new password of nothing (just hit enter when prompted to enter the new password and when prompted to confirm it) Then hit save and exit saving changes.

Also from that 3rd screen, you can hit F9 to get boot options, and from there, you can select the USB device.

 

[yungman]

I tried F9 I got these two options, neither one going anywhere. Just gone to choose safe mode options and no matter what I did, it boot to ask me the password that failed.

I have not been able to get to command prompt yet.

I really appreciate you patience.

Thanks

Alan

 

[sysprog]

To get the USB device to be listed when you hit F9, you'll first have to go into the BIOS Boot Options menu. You should from there verify that both 'legacy' and UEFI are enabled. You can also set the USB device to be first in the boot order. If you get stuck, please send more pictures showing where you encountered a snag $-$ BIOS screens vary, and my HP machine BIOS screens look somewhat different from yours.

 

[yungman]

Best I can offer are some things found on the internet:

https://www.lifewire.com/free-windows-password-recovery-tools-2626179

https://www.howtogeek.com/howto/29694/how-to-crack-your-forgotten-windows-password/

Lastly, it's common for folks to write it down somewhere likely forgotten. Perhaps under the keyboard or sent via email somewhere or using some mnemonic way to remember it.

Hi
I ran Ophcrack from howtogeek. It didn't work. But now every time I boot, even if I hit ESC and F12 or F10, it will go into Power-On Authentication page. I set up the password and everything, but it will not fix anything. Now it is blocking me from trying a new way. Do you know any way to uninstall the Ophcrack and back to normal start up where I can hit F10 and go to command mode. I am stuck, I went around and around and around and going no where. Sysprog is very kind to give a lot of time to help, but I am just stuck on this and can't get pass this. I must have turn off and on the laptop over 100 times trying everything already. No matter what path I went, still ended up the same place.

Thanks

 

[jedishrfu]

Rather than focus on the password issue why not try to backup your files to an external drive first and then reinstall windows. Remember circumventing password protections is a risky business and you may well lose access to your critical files.

Many vendors are moving towards the idea of encrypted disks which will make getting your data in the future far more difficult and risky to impossible,

 

[yungman]

Rather than focus on the password issue why not try to backup your files to an external drive first and then reinstall windows. Remember circumventing password protections is a risky business and you may well lose access to your critical files.

Many vendors are moving towards the idea of encrypted disks which will make getting your data in the future far more difficult and risky to impossible,

That needs to get pass the password first which I can't. I already backed up files recently, that's not even a big deal. I am just trying to salvage all the favors and existing bookmarks, and also gain back the use of the laptop. Also a few of my schematic, pcb layout and simulation programs.

At this point the only way I know of to get files from the SSD drive is to physically take the drive out and hook up to another computer to read as a hard drive which is a lot of trouble. Like I said, I just backed up the critical files 3 days ago.

I even hurry and bought a new 10th gen I-5 laptop with 256G SSD drive already and will be here on Friday. I just want to try to save this computer and hopefully do not have to wipe the it and start from the beginning.

 

[jedishrfu]

I don't know what else to say. Passwords are there to thwart the bad guys except when we forget it and then it thwarts everyone.

I've always favored the zero-based proof sign-on scheme but everyone is reluctant to use that approach. However, with people's private info getting hacked it may not be viable anymore.

 

[sysprog]

Given that you know the BIOS Administrator password, and that you can get to the 'Startup Menu' screen, you should be able, using the last (i.e. the 'Update System BIOS') option on that screen (arrow to it) to get into the BIOS settings. From there you can get rid of the BIOS password, and you can adjust boot device settings Please be persistent. If you get bewildered in the BIOS screens, please post pictures. If you make changes but are not sure about them, you can exit without saving changes, and then try again.

 

[yungman]

I hit F11 in the manu, I went to HP recovery Manager as shown in the picture. I did NOT click NEXT. I think this is going to wipe my drive and restore to when I first bought it. Everything will be gone. Is this true?

 

[sysprog]

Yes. That's exactly what it would do. I don't see why you're so reticent regarding going into the BIOS settings as suggested.

 

[sysprog]

Please go into the BIOS, so that you can do a fix, instead of a 'factory reset'.

 

[yungman]

Yes. That's exactly what it would do. I don't see why you're so reticent regarding going into the BIOS settings as suggested.

I can't get in, I think I was wrong

Yes. That's exactly what it would do. I don't see why you're so reticent regarding going into the BIOS settings as suggested.

I cannot get into the bios. Let me try more. I can't even get into the command mode.

 

[yungman]

I Went to boot option in 6 and checked from USB drive as shown, I save that and it gave me the option of how to boot up as shown in 7, I chose safe mode with command prompt. It went right back to the problem page shown in 8 wanting the password. Back in the circle! I've been trying and trying.

I think a made a mistake, I never got into command prompt, it's was just some writing on a black screen and I thought it's in command prompt mode.

I'll keep trying, thanks for the patience.

 

[sysprog]

I can't get in, I think I was wrong

I cannot get into the bios. Let me try more. I can't even get into the command mode.

What happens when you navigate to the 10th entry on the startup screen and hit Enter? Please show the first screen that you get upon doing that. What was the screen immediately prior to your 'Power on 6' 'Boot Options' screen (it's whatever screen the back arrow at the upper left is inviting you to return to)? On the 'Boot Options' screen, you should try checking 'UEFI Boot Order', and then see whether F9 shows the USB device.

 

[yungman]

I spent almost an hour trying to do different power on and after entering password sequence to record down the outcome, I yet to get back to the boot up option choosing USB. I am going nowhere so far. I'll try again later to get to 6 above.

 

[yungman]

What happens when you navigate to the 10th entry on the startup screen and hit Enter? Please show the first screen that you get upon doing that. What was the screen immediately prior to your 'Power on 6' 'Boot Options' screen (it's whatever screen the back arrow at the upper left is inviting you to return to)? On the 'Boot Options' screen, you should try checking 'UEFI Boot Order', and then see whether F9 shows the USB device.

Yes, I think I got into the boot option and booted with Hiren's BootCD. I can even get into Command Prompt. Before I mess up anything, tell me what to do next.

There is Control panel, but function seems very limited, I looked at installed program, I can't see all the programs I have before. It almost seems like it's a new windows that is not the original windows I had.

Thank you for the help, at least I got somewhere now. Let me know what should I do next.

Many Thanks

Alan

 

[sysprog]

That's good. The OS that you're running is a mini-Windows, soecifically a Windows PE (Pre-installation Environment) that loads from the USB device. Did you look at the https://turbofuture.com/computers/Using-Hirens-Boot-CD-to-Create-Admin-Accounts article and try to follow the instructions? Do you see an icon for an HBCD Menu? The icon should look like a wrench on top of a screwdriver. The follow article is simpler than the turbofuture one $-$ it references an older mini-Windows but the procedure is still the same: https://www.dvtitsolutions.com/blog...move-any-windows-password-with-hirens-boot-cd $-$ please post if you can't find the menu or you're encountering other difficulties, or if everything works, and you're able to fix the machine. Screenshots are helpful.

 

[yungman]

Yes, I just remember you gave me the turbofuture.com link, I just print it out to read it. I think I am going to quit now, it's been a long day on this. I work on this tomorrow.

Again thanks so much for your help. I'll post back tomorrow.

 

[sysprog]

I'm pleased to see that you're en route to a solution.