Administator password forgotten

[hollielizzy]

When I try to logon I get a message User profile cannot be loaded - User profile service failed the logon. I have forgotten the adminstrators account password which I need to create a new user profile and copy files to it. I can access the laptop as my grandaughter has a user account on my laptop but cant proceed any further without the adminstrators password, Any ideas on a safe, free way to get around this problem, You will note that I am not too PC literate, so keep it simple, thanks

 

[luckiest charm]

Is it windows?

If yes then you might want to check out the hint of your password (Click hit button at time of login).
If you can not login still then there is no way to get around this since Windows password is made to make sure nothing gets past it. If you could manage to login somehow then there are a lot of hackers who could do the same thing to open someone else's PC and retrieve important information.

All you can do is to format the drive on which you have windows and install it again. You will loose all data on that drive but otherwise it is not possible legally. I believe there are some illegal methods to still hack open windows but sorry I have no clue about them and I also do not advise to use them if you find them out somehow.

Edit - There is a software called Ophcrack to recover passwords. Download it as ISO, burn it to a DVD and boot your computer with that DVD. It would locate all windows accounts and would crack passwords of all of them.

 

[hollielizzy]

thanks will try ophcrack - is it legal?

 

[luckiest charm]

Yes it certainly is.

I do not post illegal stuff here and in fact I also do not have any knowledge about hacking, etc.
As long as you use that software to unlock your own computer its perfectly fine and legal. If you use it on someone else's PC to hack it open then it isn't.

 

[Saga Lout]

Actually, we do frown on posting recommendations of Ophcrack or anything password hacking related, in case we're helping people hack other folks' systems.

I'll leave it here this time because there is a proper Registry tweak that puts this right. Go into the Registry by typing regedit in the Run box and pressing Enter. First, select Export from the File menu and note the name and location of the backup you're about to create.

Then, navigate through the Registry to this key:-
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList

Find the long filename and make sure it's yours and not your granddaughter's. You need the one with no filename extension and when you find it, right click and rename it with the extension .old. The find the same filename but with the extension of .bak and rename that so it has no extension at all.

Once you've done that, leave the Registry from the File>Exit menu and restart the computer. You should then find your Profile is back intact.