Accessing windows 7 without a password?

Energize · 20 Apr 2010 at 15:32

A client has left me their pc without a password and I need to get on it to diagnose the computer and access the contents of the hard drive. I see that safe mode no longer works, is there any way to create a new admin user through the command line without having to log on to windows first? Would prefer not to have to fiddle with a live usb.

Speed · 20 Apr 2010 at 15:37

I'm sure one of these will do the trick, the first one looks good, bootable cd etc.

http://pcsupport.about.com/od/toolsofthetrade/tp/passrecovery.htm

Energize · 20 Apr 2010 at 15:40

Thanks, shocking that Microsoft do not yet use salts in the 21st century, how embarassing for them. It's no wonder people say windows is insecure.

Energize · 20 Apr 2010 at 16:57

Speed said:
I'm sure one of these will do the trick, the first one looks good, bootable cd etc.

http://pcsupport.about.com/od/toolsofthetrade/tp/passrecovery.htm

OPHcrack didn't work.

Netguy · 20 Apr 2010 at 20:04

Hirens boot disc

PistolPete · 20 Apr 2010 at 20:57

Stupid question, but have you tried logging in as administrator with no password? Very slim chance but it maybe open.

Energize · 20 Apr 2010 at 22:47

I can't access the admin account, it doesn't appear in safe mode.

decmatt · 21 Apr 2010 at 00:14

Netguy said:
Hirens boot disc

I had this problem 2 weeks ago, this worked a treat

DJDaz · 21 Apr 2010 at 09:11

it's a long shot but could you not contact the client and ask for the password?

apatia77 · 21 Apr 2010 at 09:43

I downloaded once some bootable cd which let you remove password for any admin local account. It worked well on vista laptop and xp laptop so far. As long as you can boot from a cd then you should be fine with this.

http://pogostick.net/~pnh/ntpasswd/

Good luck.

rexehuk · 21 Apr 2010 at 09:46

Are you sure OHPCrack didn't work? I assume you downloaded all the rainbow tables?

LMHash is one os the easiest thing in the world to crack, so you must have been doing it wrong. If you need help having it cracked, pass the LM hash along to me and I should have it in a jiffy

.

Rgds,

Rob

*EDIT* Tool posted above is fairly useful, might be worth a shot if you know the client wont mind you breaking in.

matthab · 21 Apr 2010 at 13:15

I would just ring them and ask for it or you cant repair the computer and charge an inspection fee. Better getting it straight up as some of these methods can currupt the OS.

edscdk · 21 Apr 2010 at 13:20

matthab said:
I would just ring them and ask for it or you cant repair the computer and charge an inspection fee. Better getting it straight up as some of these methods can currupt the OS.

good advice, I only ever hack / remove passwords when people have forgotten them.

Imagine you remove the password only to find they had encrypted their files!! <ie they will not be accessable any more>

Energize · 21 Apr 2010 at 14:37

rexehuk said:
Are you sure OHPCrack didn't work? I assume you downloaded all the rainbow tables?

I downloaded the vista live cd, that's the right one right?

I will contact the client after work if I can't find the password. Isn't there some way to enable the admin account from a boot cd? As mentioned above I would remove the password in most situations but I can't risk it causing a problem here.

bledd · 21 Apr 2010 at 14:39

edscdk said:
good advice, I only ever hack / remove passwords when people have forgotten them.

Imagine you remove the password only to find they had encrypted their files!! <ie they will not be accessable any more>

^^This

ajstan · 21 Apr 2010 at 15:54

OPH crack has worked in the past for me

Energize · 21 Apr 2010 at 16:13

ajstan said:
OPH crack has worked in the past for me

Maybe you hadn't noticed in the above picture, but I'm not having the same luck.

bledd · 21 Apr 2010 at 16:14

I've not used oph in a while, but looking at that it looks as if administrator doesn't have one set.. try administrator / blank ..

Also, I've not used it with Windows 7.

Energize · 21 Apr 2010 at 16:21

bledd. said:
I've not used oph in a while, but looking at that it looks as if administrator doesn't have one set.. try administrator / blank ..

Sorry, where do I enter that?

csmager · 21 Apr 2010 at 16:28

Energize said:
Sorry, where do I enter that?

switch user to administrator at the login screen.

However, it's not going to work. I'm fairly certain that by default the Admin account is disabled in Vista/7. MS aren't daft enough to leave an admin account with no password on a standard install.