Vista Password Recovery Issue

BillHicksRIP · 30 Dec 2009 at 12:52

Bit of an odd one. As 'I know about computers', I've been given a relative's laptop to fix. Vista Home Basic. They had some internet security program on it that had expired, so they tried installing their own. Now, when you turn it on, the account name that appears (e.g. SantasLittlehelper) is not the account name they've always used. It refuses to take any password. Have ran the Ophcrack Live CD and it says the Administrator and Guest accounts passwords are empty. Their original username is listed e.g. 'Terry and June', but Ophcrack throws out a 'not found', when trying to get the password. Any ideas of a way around this issue without a wipe?

Many thanks in advance.

thepeganator · 30 Dec 2009 at 13:00

Assume you've tried logging into safe mode and logging into the admin account?

aaron333 · 30 Dec 2009 at 13:02

I had to fix this issue too. I tried just about everything and in the end I did a reinstall.

BillHicksRIP · 30 Dec 2009 at 13:03

Have tried Safe Mode, and went into Recovery Tools. The only account it gives me is the 'Terry and June' account, and requires a password. No way of entering the Administrator account either from there. Are you referring to something else? Am none to familiar with the Safe Mode options.

Ta.

thepeganator · 30 Dec 2009 at 13:08

I mean by pressing f8 on boot, selecting safe mode, should give you the "administrator" account.

No password recovery disk?

Might be a case of a reinstall.

Don't format, and old settings/files should be kept in a folder called "windows.old" on the c:

theheyes · 30 Dec 2009 at 13:19

Vista onwards doesn't have a default administrator account enabled.

ArmoVanBuuren · 30 Dec 2009 at 14:02

Try burning Offline NT Password & Registry Editor to a disk and running it to reset all the windows accounts it can see to have no (blank) passwords. Then try logging into the computer with the usernames found and do not enter a password.

BillHicksRIP · 30 Dec 2009 at 18:15

That one did the trick Armo. Thanks a bunch!

ArmoVanBuuren · 30 Dec 2009 at 18:47

No problemo, saved me on many occasions Offline NT Password & Registry Editor. Pretty quick aswell!