Admin password reset for Win 10

Caledon Ken said:

Yes Brink's tutorials are excellent.
First though on laptop I would click
Start > Settings > Accounts
On the left it should say whether on the laptop he is using a local account or MS account. The reason I say this is you don't want to be changing something on desktop not realizing you might be changing sign on on laptop
A screen grab of mine.
Attachment 287759
If the laptop is using MS account to log in be prepared to potentially see the log in change here as well.
I haven't read through Brink's tutorial either but I know quality.
I think the first thing I would do is get password to email established. This could be the same password as the log in on the desktop but I think you want to know / change it first.

OK that's good to know.

Juts to confirm on this as like I said we're on opposite coasts so I can't see what is happening on their end of the country but if the laptop and desk use different log ins would the above still apply or not or might the desktop and laptop be different type log ins if each was set up differently.

Like I said I can't see this so just relaying what brothers telling me

- - - Updated - - -

Caledon Ken said:

If he was using local account on desktop then changing MS account will do nothing to help gain access on desktop. Brink's tutorial outlines steps to change local.
In the case where the desktop is using a local account and if it does not have security questions established you will have to enable the built in administartor.Brink has tutorial for that as well.
Option 5 of this tutorial
Enable or Disable Elevated Administrator account in Windows 10

One question on this elevated admin. I saw that when googling all this but was not sure. Does this log you in a separate hidden admin account as some of it seems to be run from the windows desktop and such and being he does not have access to the normal user admin account it seemed that this method above was from the desktop of a hidden admin account. Am I understanding that correctly?

Caledon Ken said:

He could be using two different MS accounts, both could be local accounts, anything.

So if this is the case where he is using different accounts for desktop and laptop then what is done on the desktop would not effect the laptop then I assume as technically different accounts. Though I will make sure he double checks what the laptop is set on

Caledon Ken said:

Unfortunately not knowing we can't make broad statements.
Example. Laptop is Local account sign in using email account [email protected]
Desktop is using MS account [email protected] for sign in and same for email.
If the password is changed to [email protected] this impacts all accounts using this.
Once your brother gets on site and information starts flowing things will fall into place.

OK that makes sense wasn't thinking it might be using same email so....

Thanks I'll update this once we get some info flowing before I mark it solved or not but unsure when they can get together to try all this out as brothers a trucker so not always home alot if on the road!

Thanks!

Caledon Ken said:

Giving this a little more thought.
If dad was saving passwords in browser and the laptop is open maybe he could just access those passwords. In Chrome you use to be able to see the passwords if you knew the gmail password.
Manage Saved Passwords in Google Chrome for Windows

Yeah this was the other approach I was thinking as I know in Firefox you can also access passwords so was thinking same thing.Have to see what browser he's using.

Do either of the MS browsers have same thing edge or explorer (Is explorer even still around???)

Caledon Ken said:

IE is still around. Not sure that it even guarded passwords
On Edge, which Edge. The new Edge based on Chromium should have capabilities like Chrome.
I remember reading old Edge had a gap and passwords could be accessed but that gap must have been sealed.
How is your dad at following a tutorial?
Ztruker did this one not that long ago. With Teamviewer you can run your dad's laptop. Great tool.
How to Install and Use TeamViewer

I haven't a clue what he's running I asked my brother to find out when he stops by their place.

And lets put it this way OK back in the day my father programmed US Navel destroyers computers out of Bath Iron Works in Maine so that gives you and idea what type of knowledge he has locked away in his head. Question is how much does he really remember. Apparently this has been going on for 4-5 months now but my brother just told me yesterday so have been trying to sort out whats happening and how all together he is in the head and such as unsure just how much memories being effected.