Password prompt, but never set password

awildttrout · 13 Dec 2017

Hi Group,
Well, finally happened. We take extreme care when we set up Windows. We take every measure to make absolutely we never enter a password. Microsoft lays a minefield to try to force a password on you. If you're careful enough, it works,,, for a while. You can sometimes go for months booting to desktop without a password. But, inevitably, that day comes; Your first password prompt to login to windows. ....You Panic !!!!!!!!.... You know you never set a password. You have no clue what to enter. You know that microsoft has locked you out of your own computer. You keep trying over and over, desperately hoping it isn't true.
And then you come here, and we appreciate any help you can offer. Thanks.

Mooly · 13 Dec 2017

Yes it happens. I have Windows set up from the start with a local account but you still enter that password somewhere in the process... and you have to remember it or write it down for when you accidently log off instead of shutting down etc.

So advice :)

1/ Write it down... you can't argue its not secure doing that because you opt to use no password anyway.

2/ When all else fails and your stuck... simply recover to a system image you made earlier using the bootable media applicable to the imaging program.

(you do make system images ? They are the single best disaster recovery option going)

You don't. We've all been there :)

So, no system image and no clue of the password. Hmmm. Could be reinstall time and a note to self saying 'I will never ever do this again'.

Seriously, I hope there is a way back from this but if there is then I don't know it. That is the whole point of the password. If it can be bypassed then it would be useless.

muchomurka · 13 Dec 2017

Tool for resetting local account password:
Offline Windows Password & Registry Editor

Fafhrd · 13 Dec 2017

muchomurka said:

Tool for resetting local account password:
Offline Windows Password & Registry Editor

I've read in a few places that this does not work in Windows 10, although I always use passwords and then tell windows to automatically log me in, and not to display login screens after sleep etc. - so I have never been shut out.

Try googling windows 10 password workaround for a few methods to accomplish this. Most of them require you to boot into a recovery environment, create a new account with admin rights, and then fix your old account from that.

Samuria · 13 Dec 2017

If you read our rules discussion of hacking password is not allowed

Brink · 13 Dec 2017

Samuria said:

If you read our rules discussion of hacking password is not allowed

Resetting password is fine, but not password recovery.

Reset Password of User Account in Windows 10 User Accounts Tutorials

muchomurka · 13 Dec 2017

Fafhrd said:

I've read in a few places that this does not work in Windows 10......

Tested right now on v1709. Of course it works well, as always before.

TairikuOkami · 13 Dec 2017

Bypass Windows Logons with the Utilman.exe Trick or sethc.exe

I always setup CMD to be available before logon, it is handy for various reasons, like recovery. :)

muchomurka · 13 Dec 2017

TairikuOkami said:

Bypass Windows Logons with the Utilman.exe Trick or sethc.exe

I always setup CMD to be available before logon, it is handy for various reasons, like recovery. :)

Very useful on Domain Controllers :):):)

awildttrout · 13 Dec 2017

Thanks to all who replied. There was a lot of good information here.