Type: How to Reset Windows 7 Administrator Password

This updated guide examines Type: How to Reset Windows 7 Administrator Password and organizes the essential facts, background, and practical takeaways in clear American English.

Responsible-use note: Apply security techniques only to systems you own or are explicitly authorized to test.

Method 1of 4:

Logging In As a Different Administrator

1. Log in with a different administrator account. ^[1]If you're unable to access one administrator account (such as the user called Administrator), log in as any other user with administrative privileges. It's likely that the first account you created when setting up the computer has these privileges. If you don't have another administrator account, try a different method.
2. Open the Start menu and select 'Control Panel. '^[2]If you don't see a link to Control Panel on the Start menu, try pressing⊞Win+Sto launch the search box, then typeControl. When 'Control Panel' appears in the search results, click on it.
3. Click 'Add or remove user accounts. ' Windows will ask you to confirm your password to proceed.
4. Click the name of the account you want to change. Administrator accounts can change the password of any account on the system. If the account you want to change is called Administrator, click that account.
5. Click 'Change Password. ' Follow the on-screen instructions to set a new password. You'll need to type it twice to confirm the change. Once Windows accepts the new password, you'll be able to log in with that account.

Method 2of 4:

Using a Password Reset Disc

1. Locate your password reset disc. ^[3]You'll need to have already created a password reset CD or USB flash drive at an earlier date. If you haven't done that, try a different method. Note that you won't be able to borrow a password reset disc from a friend, as these discs are keyed to your account.
2. Try to log into Windows as an administrator. When the login fails, you'll see an error that says 'Username or password is incorrect.' Click 'OK.'
3. Insert the password disc. Use the eject button on your optical drive to open its tray. If you're using a password reset flash drive, plug that in now.
4. Click 'Reset Password. ' This will launch the Password Reset Wizard.
5. Click 'Next' to type a new password. Choose something you'll remember. You'll be prompted to enter it a second time to make sure you typed it correctly, so type it once more.
6. Click 'finish. ' You can now log in with your new password.

Method 3of 4:

Using System Repair Disc

1. Put the system repair CD or DVD into the optical drive. ^[4]If you didn't make a system repair disc on a prior date, ask someone else who uses Windows 7 to make one for you.
2. Boot from the disc. Restart the computer and wait for a message that says 'Press any key to boot from CD or DVD.' Press any key on the keyboard.
   • If you don't see this and you wind up back at the login screen, your computer may not be set up to boot from CD/DVD. Check the boot settings in the system BIOS.
   • If it's still not booting from the disc, try burning a new disc on another system.
3. Select the operating system and drive. Unless you have multiple operating systems and hard drives, you may only see one option. Choose the one marked 'Windows 7' and make note of the drive letter (it's probably C: or D:). Put a check next to 'Use recovery tools' and click 'Next' to proceed.
4. Select 'Command Prompt' from the list of repair options. This will launch a window where you will type the following commands to rename files:
   • TypeC:orD:(the drive letter you made note of earlier) and press↵Enter
   • Typewindowssystem32and press↵Enter
   • Typeren utilman.exe utilhold.exeand press↵Enter. Utilman.exe is a file associated with the Ease of Access center. You'll need to rename it temporarily for this method to work.
   • Typecopy cmd.exe utilman.exeand press↵Enter
   • Typeexitand press↵Enter
5. Press the eject button on the CD/DVD drive and reboot the computer. Ejecting the disc ensures that the computer will not try to boot from the CD/DVD.
6. Click the Ease of Access button on the lower left corner of the login screen. It's a tiny blue button that usually opens various accessibility options. This time it will launch the command prompt (you'll change it back in a few minutes).
7. Set your new password. Typenet user Administrator newpassword, but replace 'newpassword' with a new password. Press↵Enter.
8. Typeexitto close the command prompt. You'll be returned to the sign-in screen.
9. Log in with your new password. Use the new password to log back in.
10. Press⊞Win+Sto open the search box. Now you'll undo the changes you made to the Ease of Access Center. Typecommandinto the text field and wait for 'Command Prompt' to appear in the search results. Use the right mouse button to click 'Command Prompt' and select 'Run as Administrator.'
11. Type the following commands into the command prompt.
    • TypeC:(or whichever drive letter you made note of earlier) and press↵Enter.
    • Typecd windowssystem32and press↵Enter
    • Typecopy utilhold.exe utilman.exeand press↵Enter
    • Typeexitand press↵Enter.

Method 4of 4:

Booting from Setup DVD or flash drive

1. Insert the Windows 7 Setup DVD or flash drive. The Windows 7 Setup DVD is the disc you used to install Windows 7 (or the Windows install disc that came with your computer). You also may have burned a Setup DVD on an earlier date using the Windows USB/DVD tool.^[5]If you created a Windows 7 Setup flash drive at a previous time, you can use that in place of a DVD. If you don't have either, you can borrow one or the other from a friend.
2. Restart the computer to boot from DVD or USB flash drive. ^[6]Verify that your computer is configured to boot from CD/DVD ROM or USB flash drives in the BIOS. When you see 'Press any key to boot from CD or DVD" (or "Press F12 to select a boot device"), follow the on-screen instructions.
3. Click the 'X' in the corner of the Language window. Windows thinks it will be installing a brand new operating system, but you'll really just be temporarily changing the name of a program called Sticky Keys.
4. Press⇧Shift+F10at the Startup screen. This will open the command prompt, where you'll type the following commands:
   • Typecopy d:windowssystem32sethc.exe d:and then press↵Enter. If Windows is not installed on the D: drive, use the drive letter where Windows is located (such as E: or F:). You'll know if it's the wrong drive if you see the message 'The system cannot find the specified path.'
   • Typecopy /y d:windowssystem32cmd.exe d:windowssystem32sethc.exeand press↵Enter. Again, if Windows is not installed on the D: drive, use the proper drive letter.
   • Typeexitthen press↵Enter.
5. Eject the Windows DVD or flash drive and restart the computer. This will ensure that your computer doesn't try to boot from the DVD or flash drive.
6. Press the⇧Shiftkey 5 times (quickly) at the login screen. Usually this action will launch the program Sticky Keys, but this time it will launch the command prompt. Type the following commands:
   • Typenet user Administrator PASSWORDand press↵Enter. Replace 'PASSWORD' with a new password for the Administrator account.
   • Typecopy /y d:sethc.exe d:windowssystem32sethc.exeand press↵Enter. Replaced:with a different drive letter if necessary. This will rename the Sticky Keys program we modified earlier.
   • Typeexitand then press↵Enter.
7. Reboot the computer. You can now log in with the Administrator account.