Create Password Reset Disk on USB Flash Drive in Windows 10  

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    Create Password Reset Disk on USB Flash Drive in Windows 10

    Create Password Reset Disk on USB Flash Drive in Windows 10

    How to Create a Password Reset Disk on USB Flash Drive in Windows 10
    Published by Category: User Accounts
    27 May 2023
    Designer Media Ltd

    How to Create a Password Reset Disk on USB Flash Drive in Windows 10


    If you forget your Windows password, you can use a password reset disk to create a new one. It is recommend that you create a password reset disk when you create a password for your local account before you forget the password to avoid losing access to your files and information. It will be to late to create a password reset disk after you forgot your password.

    This tutorial will show you how to create a password reset disk on a USB flash drive that you can use to reset your local account's password afterwards in Windows 10.

    If you type in an incorrect password for your local account on the sign in screen and click/tap on OK, you will then have a Reset password option available to use the password reset disk (USB) to reset and create a new password with.
    Create Password Reset Disk on USB Flash Drive in Windows 10-reset_password_at_sign-.jpg

    A password reset disk can only be created for local accounts, and not for Microsoft accounts.

    When you create a password reset disk on a USB flash drive, it will create and add a userkey.psw file to root directory of the USB flash drive for the specific local user account. You can move the userkey.psw file to the root directory of another USB flash drive if you like, but you can only have one userkey.psw file on a USB flash drive.

    The password reset disk can be used to reset your local account's password no matter how many times you reset it with the password reset disk.
    Create Password Reset Disk on USB Flash Drive in Windows 10-userkey.psw.png



    Here's How:

    1 Sign in to your local account on the PC.

    2 Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click/tap on the User Accounts icon.

    3 Connect a USB flash drive that you want to use as your password reset disk.

    The USB flash drive will not be formatted during the creation of the password reset disk, so you can use one that already has data on it without worry.


    4 Click/tap on the Create a password reset disk link on the left side. (see screenshot below)

    You can also enter rundll32.exe keymgr.dll,PRShowSaveWizardExW into Run (Win+R) and click/tap on OK to open the Forgotten Password Wizard.

    Create Password Reset Disk on USB Flash Drive in Windows 10-create_password_reset_disk-1.png

    5 Click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)

    Create Password Reset Disk on USB Flash Drive in Windows 10-create_password_reset_disk-2.png

    6 Select the USB flash drive you connected from step 3 above, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)

    Create Password Reset Disk on USB Flash Drive in Windows 10-create_password_reset_disk-3.png

    7 Type in the current password for your local user account, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)

    Create Password Reset Disk on USB Flash Drive in Windows 10-create_password_reset_disk-4.png

    8 If prompted to Replace Previous Disc for this local account, click/tap on Yes. (see screenshot below)

    Any previous password reset disk for this local account will be now be invalid and cannot be used to reset the password for this local account.

    Create Password Reset Disk on USB Flash Drive in Windows 10-replace_previous_disc.png

    9 If the USB flash drive already has a userkey.psw file in it's root directory, then click/tap on Yes to replace it. (see screenshot below)

    Create Password Reset Disk on USB Flash Drive in Windows 10-already_exist.png

    10 When it's finished, click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)

    Create Password Reset Disk on USB Flash Drive in Windows 10-create_password_reset_disk-5.png

    11 Click/tap on Finish. (see screenshot below)

    Create Password Reset Disk on USB Flash Drive in Windows 10-create_password_reset_disk-6.png

    12 Keep your password reset disk in a safe and secure location to have available to you as needed.


    That's it,
    Shawn Brink






  1. Posts : 2
    Windows 10
       #1

    "Create a Password Reset Disk " option is NOT showing on my "Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\User Accounts" screen. I don't understand why and I can't find out why. I've tried googled but all I receive is how to do this but the option ISN'T there. Please help?
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 18,421
    Windows 11 Pro
       #2

    chronofusion said:
    Please help?
    Did you read this note?
    NOTE
    A password reset disk can only be created for local accounts, and not for Microsoft accounts.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 33
    Windows 7 Ultimate, Windows 10 Pro AU 1607, Linux Mint 17.4, Ubuntu 15.04 LTS
       #3

    Local account - Create password reset disc - not working


    I have signed into my local account and tried to create a password reset disc, when I click the link nothing happens.

    I have run SFC and CHKDSK to clear any background problems.

    Is there anything else I can do to get the password reset disc link to function?
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 31,398
    10 Home x64 (22H2) (10 Pro on 2nd pc)
       #4

    toolman59 said:
    I have signed into my local account and tried to create a password reset disc, when I click the link nothing happens.
    Same here.

    In Windows 10 Home 1607 build 14394.187 (x64) and signed in with a local administrator account, clicking ' create a password reset disk' has no effect (with or without a USB stick plugged in).

    Does work on Windows 10 Pro build 10586.589 (x86) though.

    Update: @Brink on investigation, Task Manager shows that 1607 does indeed run the Forgotten Password Wizard and Task View shows it too. If you try to switch to it the window briefly flashes up then disappears again. If started without a USB plugged in Task View shows that it's running correctly and displaying (well, invisibly actually) the 'No Drive' message.

    Create Password Reset Disk on USB Flash Drive in Windows 10-password.png
    Last edited by Bree; 17 Sep 2016 at 08:58. Reason: Update:
      My Computers


  5. Posts : 68,543
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #5

    Hello @Bree and toolman59, :)

    I just tested in build 14926, and it worked for me.

    Do you think the Forgotten Password Wizard window may be offscreen?

    Offscreen Window - Move Back to Desktop - Windows 7 Help Forums
      My Computers


  6. Posts : 31,398
    10 Home x64 (22H2) (10 Pro on 2nd pc)
       #6

    Brink said:
    Do you think the Forgotten Password Wizard window may be offscreen?
    Can't tell, I can't use step 1 in that tutorial...
    1. Hover the mouse pointer over the offscreen open window icon on the taskbar until you see it's taskbar thumbnail preview display.
    In build 14393 there is no icon for the Forgotten Password Wizard on the taskbar!
      My Computers


  7. Posts : 68,543
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #7

    That sounds like a "no" then.

    As a test, see if you may be able to directly open the Forgotten Password Wizard using the shortcut below.

    Forgotten Password Wizard Shortcut - Create - Windows 7 Help Forums
      My Computers


  8. Posts : 31,398
    10 Home x64 (22H2) (10 Pro on 2nd pc)
       #8

    Brink said:
    As a test, see if you may be able to directly open the Forgotten Password Wizard using the shortcut below.
    I've put your shortcut on my desktop and pinned it to Start and the taskbar too. It always remains visible if I use File Explorer and click on the shortcut to open it. When clicking on the Desktop at first it ran invisibly, but after a few cycles of ending the task with Task Manager and trying again that too now works. The ones pinned to taskbar/Start consistently launch an invisible Wizard. Oh, and even when fully visible, there's no icon on the taskbar.
      My Computers


  9. Posts : 33
    Windows 7 Ultimate, Windows 10 Pro AU 1607, Linux Mint 17.4, Ubuntu 15.04 LTS
       #9

    Hello Brink

    After I posted my query, I tried it in my VirtualBox O/S and that worked OK. Back in my main O/S I ran a Windows Defender scan which came up with a clean bill of health and I shutdown for several hours.

    On restart I logged into your reply and and launched the disc wizard to follow your off screen tip and out of nowhere it worked perfectly for the first time in ages.

    I am grateful your tip, but I am puzzled why it should come to life, I had done a repair install recently and run SFC and CHKDSK several times which had no effect on the password reset disk wizard which remained stubbornly inactive or invisible. I must admit I did not check the task manager to see if it was running.
      My Computer


 

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