Help with a password.
I use Windows 2000 professional and have, rather cleverly, done
something very silly.  I have forgotten a recently changed login
password.  In my defence it went out of my mind as I was in hospital
following an accident but for the life of me, I cannot recall how to
reset or get past this.
Can you help at all?
Regards
Mark F

---

Clarification of Question by markwf-ga on 29 May 2002 03:23 PDT

To clarify, this password is the one used at the boot up stage of W2KPro.

Hi there,

As the world has witnessed on numerous occasions, there is usually a
way around computer security systems. However, a quick visit to
Microsoft determined that they are not stupid enough to let us know
how (which almost surprised me!).

Using Google I found a number of remedies for your unfortunate
situation, presented in the order I would elect to tackle it.

1) Try guessing some more. Unless you used a random password
generating program, 99% of the time the average person would have
chosen something easy to remember:
http://www.circa.ufl.edu/password/
http://www.bath.ac.uk/~pyspb/teaching/PHYS0011_password.htm
http://www.etext.org/CuD/Xenon/xf0008 (near the bottom) 

2) Programs that fix it for you:

If you have a spare $195, this program will supposedly solve your
problem in a painless manner. They have a free "demo" version, but it
appears to be purely a demo.
http://www.lostpassword.com/windows-xp-2000-nt.htm

NTAccess for $70, seems to do the same thing:
http://www.mirider.com/ntaccess.html

ERD Commander 2002 for a mere $399 does the same, and much more:
http://www.winternals.com/products/repairandrecovery/erdcommander2002.asp

A less impressive looking program for doing the same thing is here,
and free:
http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/

Lastly, you could try - "NT Admin Boot Disk - Linux Boot Diskette for
NTFS, resets the Administrator Password. Use rawrite.exe (included) to
make the floppy from the .bin file  NOTE: May not work with SYSKEY"
http://www.nttoolbox.com/ click on downloads, then security

3) If you are technically minded, these articles and discussions will
give you clues as to how to fix it:

Installing a second version of W2K alongside the current one:
http://www.computing.net/windows2000/wwwboard/forum/30074.html
http://www.computing.net/windows2000/wwwboard/forum/27778.html

"The linux boot-disk is one 'freebie' approach...[or] Install a second
version of NT as: c:\temp\winnt-2:
http://www.computing.net/windowsnt/wwwboard/forum/17360.html

"delete C:\X\System32\Config\sam.... When you reboot each system a new
sam file will be created having only an administrator account
configured with no password":
http://www.uninet.net/~blaisdel/whistler.htm#W2K%20Password%20work-a-round
http://www.geek.com/tipstrix/win2ktips.htm

The SAM Registry Keys:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?url=/TechNet/prodtechnol/winntas/tips/winntmag/storpass.asp

4) Final answer if all else fails...
"Unfortunately being that Windows 2000 is a very secure operating
system if you have lost your Admin password the only way to recover it
would be to completely erase Windows 2000 and reinstall it."
Taken from:
http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000172.htm

Google searches used:

"windows 2000 password" 
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF8&oe=UTF8&q=%22windows+2000+password%22

2000 "password recovery"
://www.google.com/search?q=2000+%22password+recovery%22

sam install OS password dual
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF8&oe=UTF8&q=sam+install+OS+password+dual&btnG=Google+Search

I trust that this answers your query. Feel free to request
clarifications on any aspect of my response.

Thanks for using Google Answers, and best wishes,
from robertskelton-ga

you can also download snadboy´s revelation 

http://www.snadboy.com to revela lost passwords

I set up a Windows 2000 Pro machine at home and left it running
untouched for several months (W2KPro is quite stable). When it came
time for a minor update, I had forgotten the administrator password
and couldn't get into the machine.

I used the following free Linux-based boot disk that lets you change
(but not reveal or decrypt) logon passwords for Windows NT/2K.
Robertskelton already mentioned this link in his answer, and it's
worth repeating here:

"Offline NT Password & Registry Editor" 
http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/index.html

There are instructions on the site for creating and using the boot
disk.

Worked for me,
huntsman

This is lunacris!!!! Give me your IP address and I WILL have you in! 
Give me 5 min.

please respond