Locked Out of Laptop (Windows 10)

Vesh · 16 Jul 2017

My daughter locked us out of our computer. She set up windows 10 and had herself as the only user on the laptop. She can't remember her password and we can't reset with Microsoft (she has never used her Outlook account and put in the wrong phone number to have the code sent to). Our vacation videos and family pictures are on this laptop and I don't want to have to wipe it. Is there any way I can log in as a different user to retrieve them? I cannot find any option for this on the startup screen. Thanks in advance for any help or advice you can give.

Bastet · 16 Jul 2017

Does this help: http://www.lostwindowspassword.com/w...-software.html

Caledon Ken · 16 Jul 2017

Welcome to the TenForums @Vesh

You can also use option four of this tutorial

Enable or Disable Elevated Administrator account in Windows 10

With the built in admin you can reset daughters password.

Further you can boot your device with a free copy of Ubuntu, don't install, just test, and use its graphical file explorer to copy data out. You may have to set Secure Boot to disable in BIOS depending on how new your machine is.

Ken

Vesh · 16 Jul 2017

Thank you both for responding. Trying to make a boot disk now with the link that Bastet gave me. Unfortunately Option Four wasn't viable due to the fact that Windows+R won't work on the login screen. Sorry if I sound naive, I'm rather computer illiterate compared to you folks. I really appreciate the quick responses and willingness to help though, thank you.

Caledon Ken · 16 Jul 2017

My error. That tutorial has changed. Option 5. I have to read more carefully.

Vesh · 16 Jul 2017

Argh, now it's going to the automatic recovery screen
saying a critical system driver is missing or contains errors
[File:\WINDOWS\System32\drivers\WRkrn.sys
Error code: 0xc000007b]
I put in the usb drive and it doesn't see it, and the F8 startup settings just take me back to the previous screen. I'm worried I broke it now. Any thing I can do other than pound my head on the table cursing obscenities?

Bastet · 16 Jul 2017

Often there's a different F number to press at startup to change the boot order; mine is F7.
Post your device's manufacturer & we'll see if there's something to do to help with that.

TrustMe · 16 Jul 2017

You can use Kyhi's Bootable Rescue Disk to recover your pictures and videos. It is like a live version of Windows. Create a USB or DVD and boot from it.

Windows 10 Recovery Tools - Bootable Rescue Disk - Windows 10 Forums

Vesh · 16 Jul 2017

It's an Asus laptop, as soon as I turn it on now it goes to automatic recovery, displaying a blue screen saying YourPC/Device needs to be repaired, then listing the file lines I listed in my last post. It says to press F8 for startup options, but choosing any of the nine options just takes me back to the previous screen. Thanks again for your help and advice on this.

Bastet · 16 Jul 2017

Look here: https://www.asus.com/support/faq/1013017/
You could try Hold and press [ESC] then press the power button to turn on the system to see if the USB is listed or press Esc on the Asus splash screen at startup.