Change User Accounts Passwords Without Knowing the Users Password

1. Download the Offline NT Password and Registry editor fromhttp://pogostick.net/~pnh/ntpasswd/

2. Burn the ISO to a CD-R

3. Reboot the computer from the CD

4. When asked, enter 1 to search for NT volumes.

5. Accept the default path to the Registry directory unless you know it to be different. (Default: WINDOWS/system32/config)

6. Select option 1 to load the SAM registry hive.

7. Select option 1 to edit user account data

8. A list of user accounts will be presented. Type the name of the account you wish to change.

9. Select option 1 to make blank the user's password, select 3 to make the user an Administrator, select 4 to unlock the account.

10. Repeat steps eight and nine for each account you want to edit.


This method works for NT based Windows systems (NT, 2000, XP, Vista, and 7) only, and may not work on 64 bit versions. It does not work for any other versions.