How To Reset Password In Windows 7 Ultimate
Marissa Riggle
I've got myself into a bit of a pickle and could really use your collective wisdom. I've been locked out of my Windows 10 computer (yeah, I know, should've written down the password) and I'm scratching my head on how to get back in. Has anyone here been through this and managed to reset their password without being able to log in?
I've seen a few methods online involving bootable USB drives and using command prompts, but I'm not super tech-savvy and a bit hesitant to dive into something that seems so complex. I'm looking for a more straightforward, beginner-friendly way to reset my password and get back to my files.
[Edit] A few folks asked me if the problem was solved? Yes. The password was reset with the help of Passcue Windows Password Recovery software. Thanks Jack888 for the recommendation!
If you're locked out of your Windows 10 computer and cannot access it due to a forgotten password, there are several ways to reset it:
Use your Microsoft account: If you use a Microsoft account to log in to your Windows 10 computer, you can reset your password online through another device. Enter your email address or phone number on the Microsoft account recovery page, follow the prompts, and reset your password.
Use a password reset disk: If you previously created a password reset disk, you can use it to reset your password. Insert the disk into the locked computer and follow the prompts to reset.
PassCue for Windows: PassCue for Windows offers different recovery methods such as brute-force attack, mask attack, dictionary attack, and smart attack, depending on the type and complexity of the password. The software uses advanced algorithms and techniques to speed up the recovery process and has a high success rate. From here on:
It has a user-friendly interface that allows even non-technical users to easily navigate the software and recover their passwords. PassCue for Windows is compatible with multiple versions of Windows, including Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, and XP.
Use Windows installation media: If you have a Windows installation media, you can use it to reset your password. Boot your computer from the installation media, choose "Repair your computer," and select "Troubleshoot" > "Command Prompt." Type "net user [username] * " and press "Enter." Enter a new password and confirm it. Restart your computer and log in with the new password.
Please note that some of these methods require prior preparation, and some may risk data loss. For best results, always have a backup of your data and follow the instructions carefully.
Do you have a password reset USB? Resetting Windows 10 password using a password reset USB is a straightforward process that can be done in a few steps. If you've forgotten Windows 10 password, plug the password reset USB into the computer and boot up. When you reach the login screen, click on 'I forgot my password' below the password entry box. The Password Reset Wizard will appear. Follow the prompts, select your USB drive when asked, and you will be guided through the process of creating a new password.
After resetting the password, you can use the new password to log into your Windows 10 account. Remember to store your password reset USB in a secure location for future use, if needed. It's also a good idea to update the password reset disk regularly, especially if you change your password often. This method is a lifesaver for those who frequently forget their passwords and need a reliable way to regain access to their Windows 10 accounts.
Turn on your computer. Wait until you see the Windows logo, then unplug the power cord or hold down the power button to force the PC to turn off. When you turn it on again, you should be greeted by this screen:
After a few minutes, the Windows 7 repair process fails. Windows 7 asks you if you want to send information to Microsoft. Ignore that query. Instead, click on the Hide problem details button right below it.
Turn on your computer and wait until you see the Windows logo. Then, unplug the power cord or hold down the power button to force the hardware to turn off. Turn it on again, and you should be greeted by this screen:
Type in your current password and choose Next again. After a few seconds, your disk is created. Store it somewhere safe, away from cats who think that USB drives are great kitty toys.
Windows 10 begs you to sign into a Microsoft account, and for good reason. Aside from enabling you to download apps from its store and synchronize settings from one PC to another, a Microsoft account also offers you an easy way to reset your password, as you saw above.
Set up a password (which you will of course write down, promise?) and type in your first and last name. Last but not least, you can now sign into your new account using the email and password you just specified. This will be your Windows login going forward. While not the most secure method, you can also set up a PIN in Windows 10 at this point to make logging in easier.
(Note: Not much of this is relevant to readers using PostgreSQL 9.2 or above from the EDB installers, which now have a greatly simplified default install using the NETWORK SERVICE, though you can still configure other accounts).
You've reset (or tried to reset) the service account password. PostgreSQL won't run as Administrator for security reasons and the installer generally sets it up with a "postgres" user account in PostgreSQL 9.1 and older1. On Windows you can't start a service as a user without saving the password of the user in the registry, so that's what the installer does.
If you change the password for the Windows user account postgres, the PostgreSQL service can no longer start. So don't do that, you'll have to fix the service configuration to store the updated password.
Thankfully I think another mistake prevented you from doing that. It looks like you're probably running your command prompt without using "Run as Administrator" on an unprivileged Windows user account or a machine with UAC, so it isn't running with the access permissions required to change the password for the postgres user.
Before you try to change that password, make sure it's really what you want to do. What's the problem you're trying to solve here? Are you attempting to install a database update or something else that's asking for the password for the postgres Windows user?
Most likely you're just trying to log in to the database. For that, you use the (unfortunately completely unrelated) password stored in the database its self. Since you've lost/forgotten it you'll have to reset it:
Find your pg_hba.conf file - this controls access to the PostgreSQL server. You will need to edit it as a user with Administrator rights. Look for lines that mention user "postgres" and temporarily set the mode to "trust". Restart postgresql and then you should be able to connect without a password. Reset the password, then restore the file to its original settings and restart PostgreSQL.
I was surprised to see that the good old domain administrator reset password trick from Windows Server 2008 still works in Windows Server 2012 R2. Thanks to Martijn Brant for reminding me of this. Note: If using Windows Server Technical Preview Build...
At the prompt you can now change the password, by typing the following command: net user administrator Password123 This will set the password for the Administrator user to be Password123 (case sensitive).
Boot the domain controller from alternate media, such as a USB thumb drive that has a Windows recovery partition on it. (Diagnostics and Recovery Toolkit (DaRT) makes good recovery media, for example.)
Ok, so I booted from a Windows 2012 DVD, then selected Load driver and pointed it to my USB key that had the B140i drivers. After taking a while, the drivers seems to have loaded ok. Then I pressed on Shift-F10 to go Command Prompt yet my drives are not seeing. This is proving to be a real headache.
Had to bring system back because it was holding up work. Will try again tomorrow night. Found out it was running Raid 1 with 2 physical 1TB drives. Used NTLite to slipstream the raid array drivers into the Windows 2012 install media. Now need to make a bootable install media with the drivers included. Will also make a copy of the drive before doing anything else.
d3342ee215