Reset or clear a Windows Server password, for free, takes about 2 minutes flat

I wonder how many times my world hs been saved by knowing exactly how to reset a Windows password on a server where the Administrator account is lost or forgotten? Countless. Always late just before an event or a big demo. This utility is priceless, and its free.

There are loads of utilities to reset the passwords of computers, but mostly they are what I'd call 'ripoffware' - software that is available for free but sold expensively to the lazy or gullible.

Fortunately, theres perfectly good free software thats up to the task. Its linux based, boots its own CD, and helps you get back into your machine.

With it, you can reset any user that has a valid (local) account on your Windows NT/2k/2003/XP/Vista/7 system.

• You do not need to know the old password to set a new one.
• It works offline, that is, you have to shutdown your computer and boot off a floppydisk or CD or another system.
• It detects and offers to unlock locked or disabled out user accounts!
• There is also a registry editor and other registry utilities that works under linux/unix, and can be used for other things than password editing.

This works with very current implementations of SATA, Intel Core 2 Duo equipped computers. It works with servers, client computers. It boots a character mode Linux that asks simple questions, then presents a list of local users from the bootable instance of Windows in question, and allows you to reset or clear their password, or indeed promote users to Admin. Truly a lifesaver utility you should keep handy!

Download Windows password reset CD/bootdisk:

Password reset CD/bootdisk: Instructions & ISO image to download.

Disclaimer:Its probably an offence to do this on a computer you dont have permission to access. I would, in any corporate setting get a written note of permission. But thats just me. Use at your own risk.

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Since I was working on one of these for a client today I thought I'd just share it 

1. Create install and configuration scripts/programs as needed
2. Check and configure settings for servers 
3. Verify installation and take README.TXT notes by installing system and running it on servers 
4. Create README.TXT with installation instructions for servers and clients 
5. Create a public known issues list. Check what User Documentation exists, and assemble it, so that we can assess 
6. Remove debug and test code from the software and set debug off
7. Once code is frozen set all versions of all software to the next major or minor release x.n.0.0
8. Tag and Branch the source code repository
9. Create the releasable software media. Everything from install script to executables and README.TXT and documentation in one place 
10. Virus scan all release media 
11. Remove and reinstall the final versions of the software on the Servers
12. Test
13. Sign Off

Windows 7 introduces a shell update in the form of a new taskbar and main experience window. Its got some improvements over Vista. Heres my list:-

Pin most used programs to the taskbar

• Right click and choose 'pin to taskbar'

Find a file instantly:

• Click open the start menu and start typing in the search box at the bottom of the menu, then
• Select from the list of search results which appears

Microsoft say that 'if its on your PC it cannot hide from Windows 7' which may not be exactly what you want

See all your open windows:

• Hover the cursor over the program icon to see all open windows then
• Hover over the previews to see the full screen
• Click on the preview in question to switch

Take a sneak peak at the desktop

• Windows Key plus Space

Use 'Jump Lists' to keep your desktop free pf clutter

Theres a jump list for each program in the Start Menu and TaskBar. With One Click you can:

• See recent web sites in IE8
• Drag and drop from the Jump List to Outlook as an attachment
• See options to play recent songs in Windows Media Player

Compare 2 Windows Side By Side using 'Snap'

• Drag the window to either side of the screen. When you get to the side the window will snap to half of the screen
• Drag the window to either top or bottom of the screen. When you get to the edge the window will snap to half of the screen vertically
• Windows Key + Left Arrow to snap to half screen
• Windows Key + Right Arrow to snap to half screen
• Windows Key + Up Arrow to maximise
• Windows Key + Down Arrow to minimise
• Windows Key + Shift Up Arrow to maximise and restore vertical size
• Windows Key + Shift Down Arrow to maximise and restore vertical size

My HP Desktop was running Windows XP Media Center Edition (MCE) and was a good candidate for Windows 7 Ultimate

I backed up my HP Media Centre Desktop in order to put Windows 7 on it. Its a good computer, 2GB, Core 2 Duo, Fancy X1600 graphics. Two identical 250GB drives. I decided it would be a good place to try out Windows 7 x64 Ultimate - as it was a media centre before and Ultimate contains all the media center goodies.

Backing up was tedious

Backup strategy - True Image, VMware, File Copy

I have an unusual approach to backups. Well I think so at least. I take three different types if the data is important. Too many previous horror stories.

1. I use 'Acronis True Image Home'. Cheap. Handy and works. Splits resulting backups to DVD sized chunks. Highly recommended. Win7 support in beta. (Backing up XP so this wasnt an issue).
2. I use 'VMware Converter' to create a bootable virtual version of the final image of my computer. This means that if I have an 'I really need *that* file or *that program* moment I can fire up the last copy of it and find it. This has saved me from embarrassment many many times and is the single most important backup I make.
3. I use filesync or even 'xcopy /s' or explorer to copy important folders and files to spare disks.

Installing Windows 7

1. Leave less data on my Desktop (I have an Xserve with many TB of space) and
2. Get more performance. Using a Stripe Set (Raid 0).

Its been a long time since I famously blew a raid array at a fortune 50 pharmaceuticals company trying to install a beta of Windows NT! So I thought I'd read up a bit. Theres not much out there folks. Not much at all!

Windows 7 Disk Partitioning

Once Id searched in vain I thought I'd just give it a go. So I started to install Windows, (something I've been doing since Windows 1.0). When it asked me about disks I looked and looked for options. Nothing exciting. Oh well I thought. I'll let it complete and look in the disk manager. So I did. Nothing new. And even worse it made a complete and utter hash of my partitions. I expect more in the 21st century. I did not take much notice of the 'Windows may create recovery partitions' message before Windows installed. I should have. Its all wrong. My 250GB disk now looked like this:

Now personally I cannot imaging why anyone would choose to partition a disk like that. I cant mirror or stripe, because the Windows partition is bigger than the biggest free space - because Windows used 100MB for recovery it might has well have used the whold 250GB. It also just looks wrong. Call my a perfectionist but I dont want my volumes to look this ugly. Windows completed and I score a 4.1 on the Windows 7 experience-o-meter.

So back to the drawing board. I look at the boot screens for my HP, and its an Intel Raid controller, with a Bios for setting up volumes. Perhaps I should have done that to start with! So I set up a Raid 0 volume and blow away my just completed Windows install. Time to install again. This time I get presented with a 460GB single volume for Windows 7.

Now I have a better world

Much Better dont you think. Windows 7 doesn't think so - WEI rating still 4.1. Its better for me as theres only one volume for me to deal with.

Lesson learned

Er,. Read the Boot Screens. Note the name of your raid adapter and try to set it up before installing Windows 7!

HP You should have read it too. Why wasnt it like this from the factory? It would be impossible for most home users to blow everything away and start again so you have a duty to get this more appropriately set up - otherwise why provide two identical disks on a Raid controller - Pretty poor.