Forgotten Administrator Password

Margaret_Skinner

I haven't used my laptop in ages and got it out the other night but can't get any of my normal passwords I use to work for the Administrator password and can't get past that screen.

I've downloaded Windows Password Recovery Tool and also Ophcrack but can't see any option to boot from them when I start the laptop in safe mode - everything I do just brings up the administrator screen. I've tried no password, the word 'password', the word 'administrator' and every password I've ever used - nothing works.

Am I sunk?

(Any advice will need to be in layman's terms please).:o

chunter

1. Make of laptop

2. What operating system?

Margaret_Skinner

Toshiba Satellite Pro
Windows XP Professional

Ant555

I've tried no password, the word 'password', the word 'administrator' and every password I've ever used - nothing works

Is it asking for a user name or is the user name pre-typed?
ie if its 'Administrator' then can you change it?

tronator

Margaret_Clark wrote: »

I've downloaded Windows Password Recovery Tool and also Ophcrack but can't see any option to boot from them when I start the laptop in safe mode - everything I do just brings up the administrator screen.

If you mean by "downloaded" "downloaded and burned a bootable CD", then you need to boot from that CD and not from the hard disk. Most PCs have a key (F12?) to select the boot device right after you switched on the PC or change the boot order in the BIOS settings (F2 or DEL) to boot from CD first.

I hope that was "layman's term" enough ;-)

Marty999

I had trouble getting a Fujitsu machine at work to boot into safe mode, until I discovered that you only tap F8 once the initial splash screen has cleared. If I tap F8 before then I don't get the option of safe mode - perhaps it might be the same for you?

NiftyDigits

Use the Offline NT Password & Registry Editor bootdisk to remove the password altogether.

Nicholas-bloody-Parsons

These CDs require you boot from the CD and not windows. If you get to the Windows F8 Key safe mode bit then you are too late.

Looks like its either ESC, F1 or F2 depening on which Toshiba it is..

http://www.toshiba.co.uk/innovation/faq.jsp?FID=0000000401

Margaret_Skinner

Thanks guys and I apologise for the delay in replying.

I tried F12 and that gave me the options (in icons) for booting up so clicked on the memory stick - a load of different stuff came up on the screen but eventually it just went to Windows in safe mode with the same password screen. (It comes up as administrator automatically with no option to change it although I can highlight it.)

I had downloaded the Offline Windows Password & Registry Editor Bootdisk to USB and it said to then install bootloader on the USB but I can't find out how to do that and any forums I've read tell me I don't need it and just to boot from the USB itself.

Any advice you can give me would be much appreciated and I hope that all makes sense!

John_Gray

To create a bootable USB to run "Offline Windows Password & Registry Editor" you have to download this ISO to your hard disk, and download and run something like Rufus to make the USB Flash Drive bootable, selecting the ISO to be written to the flash drive. (On the web page I point to, see the line near the bottom saying "Create a bootable disk using ISO image" and note the little icon to the right which enables you to select the aforementioned ISO file.)

Then you have to set things up to boot from a USB drive...

Of course, other USB Boot Drive producing programs are available, but I suggest the one I think is best.

Margaret_Skinner

Sorry I can't find where to click to download on this website - can't seem to click on the word DOWNLOAD and the other options at the side are ads for other things. What am I doing wrong?