Can I retrieve a user password using admin account

[SOD'EM]

Hi guys.

 

I let my son pick his own password for his user account and he can't remember it (even with the hint).

 

Can I retrieve his password using my administrator account so he won't lose his files?

 

Cheers

[ForestChav]

No, but you can use ophcrack to find out what the real password is on most Windows versions. Download it, burn the ISO to disc (windows 7 can do this natively, as can suites like Nero) and boot the PC up from the disc, it will tell you all the passwords for the accounts...

[qa19]

you can delete the account and there will be an option to save all files to another folder when you do.

[dx100uk]

if your username is an administrator

 

 

you can change other user's passwords under the user tab in the control panel

 

manage accounts

choose the account

change password

 

dx

[SOD'EM]

Thanks all.

 

DX. When I try to change the password as administrator, it is asking me to type in the old password first before selecting a new password.

[andydd]

What OS are you using ?. I have just duplicated your problem in Windows 7 and went to control panel>User accounts>manage user accounts>(Chose account I wanted to change)>Reset password. I changed the password without it asking for the old one.

 

If you have no luck changing the password, DONT delete the profile as suggested above, it wont give you the option of moving the files. A simple option is to browse for the uers files (C:\Documents and settings - XP) or (C:\Users - Vista/7) and copy everything within the {users} folder, or perhaps just the my documents/my pictures, etc folders, copy theses to the another location, then as administrator re-create you sons profile (using a slightly diff name - son2, etc) and when you have logged in as that, log out, log back in as admin and then copy across the files you moved earlier into the newly created profile.

 

Andy

[SOD'EM]

Cheers Andy. I am using Vista home basic on that particular laptop. I am thinking of upgrading to Win 7 though as I have that on my main laptop and think it's great.

[andydd]

No worries, creating a new profile and moving the docs from old to new is in my opinion the easiest option, there is actually a transfer wizard that can be used but its far easier to use the copy/past method. Youll need to be logged in as admin to do the copying/pasting.

 

I'm unaware of any hacks to get into vista/seven without the admin password, Im aware there is one for xp although this is only needed if completely lock yourself out of all accounts including administrator !

 

Andy

[BankFodder]

In win 7, as admin you can take ownership of directories and files. Are you able to do that in your case?

[SOD'EM]

Sorry BF, no. The laptop in question is Windows Vista.

 

Thanks a lot guy's. All good suggestions, it's just a case of deciding which one is the easiest (for me).

[andydd]

In win 7, as admin you can take ownership of directories and files. Are you able to do that in your case?

 

I dont think this is needed (in Vista or 7), there will be some system files which cant be copied (without taking ownereship) but that wont matters, you will prob only need to copy My Docs and perhaps music/videos etc

[SOD'EM]

I think he is more interested in keeping his games he has installed. I have told him that I was planning to just do a full format of the HD and install Vista from scratch again. Stuff his games.

[andydd]

Installed programs including games should still be useable whoever logs in, although there maybe certain settings that only apply for certain users.

 

If you re-install make sure you have all the software/licences of programs you want to re-install.

 

I use image back programs like acronis true image so in the event of a major disaster I can recover files or even quickly restore the whole 'image' of the OS should a hard drive die (which are far more common than people think).

 

Andy

[pin1onu]

There are several tools for resetting passwords on this page - much less hassle than creating a new account and copying files across.

http://pcsupport.about.com/od/toolso...ssrecovery.htm