I lost my windows password

nightmoon · May 4, 2023

I have a Lenovo laptop with WIN 11 home edition.
I lost the password and looking for a way to reset the password please.

I tried the NT password from Hirenes boot but it did not work. It says "file open in read only"
Is there another way to reset the password with a better bootable tool please?

pparks1 · May 4, 2023

Were you using a microsoft account or a local account? If you were using a Microsoft account, you can do so via the Windows Live password reset page.

nightmoon · May 4, 2023

local account

MiguelAngel11 · May 4, 2023

Hi :
Welcome to the forum. I found this guide. Click here : Reset Windows Password With Linux Live CD - OSTechNix.

I remember I had to unlock a password years ago. Advanced knowledge is advisable. It involves knowing to use a Linux Live CD. First of all read all the article.

pparks1 · May 4, 2023

nightmoon said:
local account

don't you have the reset password option and security questions you set?

You are in murky territory here, we don't know if you are trying to hack into a machine that isn't yours or if you legit forgot your password. Either way, googling on your own is likely to turn up the answers you want, not a member of this forum giving you the set of instructions.

nightmoon · May 4, 2023

I prefer something simple like NT password on hirens boot DVD.
I only know the basic commands in Linux.
Do you have an alternative solution with windows PE ISO file or any bootable software can reset my local account please or activate the administrator please?

nightmoon · May 4, 2023

pparks1 said:
don't you have the reset password option and security questions you set?

You are in murky territory here, we don't know if you are trying to hack into a machine that isn't yours or if you legit forgot your password. Either way, googling on your own is likely to turn up the answers you want, not a member of this forum giving you the set of instructions.

It is my laptop but I did not use for a while. I can easily format the laptop and save time, but I need to backup my data from the desktop.

pparks1 · May 4, 2023

nightmoon said:
It is my laptop but I did not use for a while. I can easily format the laptop and save time, but I need to backup my data from the desktop.

Was one drive enabled, and therefore saving your desktop files to the cloud?

nightmoon · May 4, 2023

i do not enable onedrive or dropbox. i do not trust those cloud backup solution.

pparks1 · May 4, 2023

If you have a backup app, like Macrium, you could boot from the recovery media. Make an image of the drive. Reinstall Windows, and then mount the image backup and pull the files from there.

nightmoon · May 4, 2023

I have never heard of this application (Macrium). Is it similar to acronis ?

pparks1 · May 4, 2023

nightmoon said:
I have never heard of this application (Macrium). Is it similar to acronis ?

Yes, could do exactly the same with any other backup app.

bobkn · May 4, 2023

nightmoon said:
I have never heard of this application (Macrium). Is it similar to acronis ?

Yes. It's imaging software.

And of no use at all with your present problem.

Imaging your boot drive is highly recommended for the future, though.

Microsoft's advice on resetting a local account password:

Reset your Windows local account password - Microsoft Support

Learn how to reset your local account password for Windows or sign back in using security questions.

support.microsoft.com

If you've also forgotten the security question answers, not helpful.

pparks1 · May 4, 2023

bobkn said:
Yes. It's imaging software.

And of no use at all with your present problem.

Imaging your boot drive is highly recommended for the future, though.

Why is it of no use? If you have recovery media, you can boot from the USB key, and image the hard drive. You don't have to supply a password.

Can then reinstall Windows, and mount that image and pull data off it.

bobkn · May 4, 2023

pparks1 said:
Why is it of no use? If you have recovery media, you can boot from the USB key, and image the hard drive. You don't have to supply a password.

Can then reinstall Windows, and mount that image and pull data off it.

Sorry.

I hadn't considered imaging the drive from a rescue USB drive. I thought that you referred to an image which doesn't exist.

That would enable the OP to copy data. There are other ways to boot from external media to do the same task. (None of which I have ever used.)

I supposed that the OP's interest isn't to just save the data.

pparks1 · May 4, 2023

bobkn said:
Sorry.

I hadn't considered imaging the drive from a rescue USB drive. I thought that you referred to an image which doesn't exist.

That would enable the OP to copy data. There are other ways to boot from external media to do the same task. (None of which I have ever used.)

I supposed that the OP's interest isn't to just save the data.

He said he could format and reinstall windows...he just needed the files from the desktop.

MiguelAngel11 · May 4, 2023

A bootable USB/CD can do that

cereberus · May 4, 2023

nightmoon said:
i do not enable onedrive or dropbox. i do not trust those cloud backup solution.

MS have been closing loop on ways of bypassing passwords - good thing too.

Even with a local password, you can recover it if you set up the 3 security questions, but let me guess - you do not trust that either?

You have painted yourself in a corner - I hope you were not using encryption on the drives as well.

Boot from a winpe drive or live linux, copy data, reinstall.

Sad thing is you could have avoided all this pain.

bobkn · May 4, 2023

pparks1 said:
He said he could format and reinstall windows...he just needed the files from the desktop.

Could, yes.

My impression was that wasn't the preference, though.

alexrico · May 5, 2023

you can use recovery software like

Stellar Password Recovery
Password Recovery Bundle Enterprise

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