Tested on: NT 3.

51, NT 4 (all versions and SPs), Windows 2000 (all versions & SPs), Windows XP (all versions, also SP2 and SP3), Windows Server 2003 (all SPs), Windows ista 32 and !4 "it (SP1 also), Window # (all variants). So$e also sa% t&at it wor's on Windows Server 200( too. )* +sed on +sers t&at &ave ,-S en.r%/ted *iles, and t&e s%ste$ is XP or ista, all en.r%/ted *iles *or t&at +ser will "e 0N1,23245,6 and .annot "e re.overed +nless %o+ re$e$"er t&e old /assword a7ain. )* %o+ don8t 'now i* %o+ &ave en.r%/ted *iles or not, %o+ $ost li'el% don8t &ave t&e$ (e9.e/t $a%"e on .or/orate s%ste$s). 4oot %o+r .o$/+ter wit& :iren8s 4oot;3 and *ollow t&e ste/s "elow *or resettin7 %o+r /assword:

1. Enter Offline NT/2000/XP/Vista/7 Password Changer

Wit& 0/ & 3own 'e%s sele.t <**line =NT>2000>XP> ista># Password ;&an7er8 and /ress ,nter.

2.

ait for Offline NT Password ! "egistr# Editor to $oad

<n t&e s.reen "elow, %o+8ll see is several lines o* te9t t&at ?+i.'l% r+n down t&e s.reen. @o+ don8t need to do an%t&in7 &ere. Wait *or A<**line NT Password & 1e7istr% ,ditorB to load. 1. Sele.t CNT>2000>XP> ista># Password ;&an7erC 2. 5in+9 *iles are loadin7...

%. Choose the Corre&t 'ard (ri)e Partition

T&is ste/ in t&e <**line NT Password & 1e7istr% ,ditor /ro.ess is to sele.t t&e /artition t&at .ontains t&e Windows installation t&at %o+ want to delete a /assword *ro$. Dan% .o$/+ters &ave a sin7le o/eratin7 s%ste$ installed on a sin7le /artition on a sin7le &ard drive, $a'in7 t&is a ver% eas% .&oi.e. )* t&at8s t&e .ase *or %o+, E+st /ress ,NT,1 to a..e/t t&e de*a+lt /artition. <t&erwise, t%/e t&e n+$"er .orres/ondin7 to t&e .orre.t /artition *ro$ t&e ;andidate Windows /artitions *o+nd list and t&en /ress ,NT,1. )* $ore t&an one /artition is listed and %o+8re not s+re w&i.& one to /i.', .&an.es are t&e lar7er /artition is t&e one wit& Windows installed. ,ver% Windows # P; will &ave $ore t&an one /artition listed.

*. Confir+ the

indows "egistr# Path

<**line NT Password & 1e7istr% ,ditor now needs to 'now t&e e9a.t lo.ation o* t&e Windows 1e7istr%. ,9.e/t in t&e rarest o* o..asions, t&e de*a+lt lo.ation will "e t&e .orre.t one. F+st Press ,NT,1 to a..e/t t&e de*a+lt Windows 1e7istr% /at& wit&o+t writin7 an%t&in7 else. 3. ;&oose t&e ;orre.t :ard 3rive Partition 4. ;on*ir$ t&e Windows 1e7istr% Pat&

,. Choose the Password "eset O-tion

<**line NT Password & 1e7istr% ,ditor is now as'in7 w&i.& /art o* t&e re7istr% it s&o+ld load. Press ,NT,1 to a..e/t t&e de*a+lt .&oi.e o* Password reset. T&e <**line NT Password & 1e7istr% ,ditor tool .an /er*or$ vario+s *+n.tions aside *ro$ resettin7 /asswords "+t sin.e t&at8s t&e *o.+s o* t&is /arti.+lar wal't&ro+7&, t&at8s all we8ll dis.+ss.

.. Choose the Edit /ser (ata and Passwords O-tion

Now t&at t&e re7istr% is loaded and availa"le to t&e /ro7ra$, <**line NT Password & 1e7istr% ,ditor needs to 'now e9a.tl% w&at %o+ want to do. Press ,NT,1 to a..e/t t&e de*a+lt .&oi.e o* ,dit +ser data and /asswords. T&is will load t&e ne.essar% o/tions *or t&e a.t+al /assword reset. 5. ;&oose t&e Password 1eset </tion !. ;&oose t&e ,dit 0ser 3ata and Passwords </tion

7. Enter the /serna+e to Edit

<**line NT Password & 1e7istr% ,ditor now needs to 'now w&i.& +ser8s /assword %o+8d li'e to delete (erase, .lear, "lan', re$ove, .all it w&at %o+ li'e). 2 de*a+lt +ser is listed "etween t&e "ra.'ets at t&e /ro$/t. )n t&e a"ove e9a$/le, %o+ .an see t&at it8s t&e 2d$inistrator +ser. )* t&e de*a+lt +ser is t&e +ser %o+8d li'e to re$ove t&e /assword *ro$, si$/l% /ress ,NT,1. <t&erwise, enter t&e +serna$e and t&en /ress ,NT,1.

0. T#-e 1 to Clear 12lan34 5ser -assword and then -ress ENTE"

2t t&e "otto$ o* t&e s.reen %o+8ll see t&e 0ser ,dit Den+ wit& several o/tions to .&oose *ro$. T%/e 1 *or ;lear ("lan') +ser /assword and t&en /ress ,NT,1. <**line NT Password & 1e7istr% ,ditor s&ows so$e interestin7 in*or$ation a"o+t t&e +serna$e %o+ entered in t&e last ste/ G t&e *+ll na$e, w&at 7ro+/s t&e +ser "elon7s to, &ow $an% *ailed lo7in atte$/ts &ave ta'en /la.e, &ow $an% total lo7ins &ave "een .o$/leted, and $ore. )* %o+ see a .&e.' in t&e APasswd not re?.B "o9, t&is $eans t&at a /assword is not a re?+ire$ent *or t&is /arti.+lar +ser. )t does not $ean t&at a /assword is not re?+ired to a..ess t&e a..o+nt in Windows. )n ot&er words, it8s sa%in7 t&at it is /ossi"le to erase t&is +ser8s /assword. #. ,nter t&e 0serna$e to ,dit (. T%/e 1 to ;lear ("lan') +ser /assword and t&en /ress ,NT,1

6. T#-e 7 to 85it the /ser Edit Tool

2ss+$in7 t&ere weren8t an% /ro"le$s, %o+ s&o+ld see a Password .leared6 $essa7e a*ter enterin7 1 in t&e /revio+s ste/. T%/e 6 to ?+it editin7 +ser and t&en /ress ,NT,1. @o+ $+st .on*ir$ t&ese .&an7es in a later ste/ "e*ore t&e% are a.t+all% .o$/lete. )* %o+ ?+it <**line NT Password & 1e7istr% ,ditor now t&en t&e /assword reset will not ta'e /la.e6

10. T#-e 8 to 95it Offline NT Password ! "egistr# Editor

,nter ? and t&en /ress ,NT,1 to ?+it t&e <**line NT Password & 1e7istr% ,ditor re7istr% editin7 tool. )$/ortant: @o+8re still not done6 @o+ need to .on*ir$ %o+r /assword reset .&an7e in t&e ne9t ste/ "e*ore it will ta'e e**e.t. H. T%/e 6 to ?+it t&e 0ser ,dit Tool 10. T%/e ? to I+it <**line NT Password & 1e7istr% ,ditor

11. T#-e # and then -ress ENTE" to &onfir+ Password "eset Changes
2t t&e Ste/ -<01: Writin7 "a.' .&an7es $en+, <**line NT Password & 1e7istr% ,ditor as's i* %o+ want to write *ile(s) "a.'. T%/e % and t&en /ress ,NT,1. @o+ s&o+ld see an ,3)T ;<DP5,T, $essa7e a//ear on s.reen. )* %o+ do, it $eans t&at <**line NT Password & 1e7istr% ,ditor &as written t&e /assword .&an7es to %o+r .o$/+ter6

12. Confir+ That :o5;re <inished /sing Offline NT Password ! "egistr# Editor
<**line NT Password & 1e7istr% ,ditor 7ives %o+ an o/tion &ere to rer+n t&e /ro7ra$. )* %o+8ve "een *ollowin7 alon7 wit& t&is 7+ide and ever%t&in7 see$s to &ave wor'ed /ro/erl% t&en t&ere8s little reason to re/eat an%t&in7. Press ,NT,1 to .on*ir$ t&e de*a+lt o/tion o* not rer+nnin7 t&e /assword reset. 11. T%/e % and t&en /ress ,NT,1 to .on*ir$ Password 1eset ;&an7es 12. Press ,NT,1 to ;on*ir$ T&at @o+Jre -inis&ed 0sin7 <**line NT Password & 1e7istr% ,ditor

1%. "e+o)e 'iren;s =ootC( and "estart the Co+-5ter

T&at8s it6 @o+8ve E+st .o$/leted t&e entire <**line NT Password & 1e7istr% ,ditor /assword re$oval /ro.ess.

13. 1e$ove :irenJs 4oot;3 and 1estart t&e ;o$/+ter Note: )* %o+ re.eive a AEo" .ontrol t+rned o**B or a A.an8t a..ess tt%B error, don8t worr%. 2s lon7 as t&e ,3)T ;<DP5,T, .on*ir$ation $essa7e was /osted to t&e s.reen a*ter %o+ .on*ir$ed t&e /assword reset .&an7es t&en %o+r /assword was s+..ess*+ll% reset. @o+ s&o+ld still "e a"le to see t&e .on*ir$ation on t&e s.reen at t&is /oint. 1e$ove :iren8s 4oot;3 *ro$ %o+r ;3>3 3 drive and t&en $an+all% reset %o+r .o$/+ter. )n t&e ne9t ste/, %o+8ll *inall% 7et to lo7on to Windows wit&o+t enterin7 a /assword6 Now t&at %o+r /assword &as "een re$oved +sin7 <**line NT Password & 1e7istr% ,ditor, no /assword is re?+ired to lo7 on to Windows. )* %o+ are t&e onl% +ser on %o+r .o$/+ter, Windows will "oot all t&e wa% to t&e des'to/ on t&e ne9t re"oot and will s'i/ t&e lo7on s.reen alto7et&er. )* %o+8re on a $+ltiK+ser .o$/+ter (as $an% *a$ilies are), t&e lo7on s.reen will still a//ear a*ter startin7 Windows "+t w&en %o+ .li.' on t&e +ser t&at &ad t&e /assword re$oved, %o+ will not "e /ro$/ted *or a /assword and will instead enter Windows a+to$ati.all%. :avin7 a se.+re /assword is i$/ortant so /lease don8t .ontin+e to +se Windows wit&o+t one. 2s soon as %o+8ve 7ained a..ess to %o+r .o$/+ter a7ain, .on*i7+re a new /assword G one %o+ .an re$e$"er a little easier6