Lost Windows XP/7 Password Recovery Tips

Nowadays, small businesses are continually evolving, which includes the proliferation of DIY software tools.

IT departments have become smaller, if not non-existent. You can recover your Windows administrator password yourself without the need of an IT guy. There are several ways you can do on how to recover your Windows password.

Recover your Administrator Password

A small business without an IT department might be clueless if you forgot your Windows password. It remains vital to change your password regularly. However, doing so means you may forget all the passwords you’ve used. If you install a new version of Windows and reconfigure everything, you may be able to retrieve the administrator password. But there is no guarantee that all your files would still be complete. Password recovery software can help you with Windows accounts and retrieve your password without losing any valuable data. Here are some ways to help recover your Windows XP password:

Use a Windows XP recovery disk to reset password

Creating a Windows XP reset disk is an easy and convenient way to help you reset your XP password. It may be the most unfamiliar method for some PC users. If you forgot your password, do the following steps to create the recovery disk. Save it as you may need it again.

• Start > Control Panel > User Accounts
• Choose the user you need to create the disk
• Select “Prevent a forgotten password” on the left of Related Tasks
• Prepare your blank disk and follow the Forgotten Password Wizard operation
• When it says 100% complete on the progress indicator, click Next, then Finish
• Keep your disk

Once you have created the disk, you can have access to your account and recover your lost Win XP password using the disk.

Log in with built-in Administrator Account

Run your Windows in Safe Mode. Press F8 when your PC starts. After, you can log in with the built-in Administrator user account and reset your password with this account. This is possible if you did not change the password or if you can still access it.

Use accounts with Administrator Rights

If there is another user account you can use which has administrative privileges, you can use that for your Windows XP password recovery. Run your Windows in Safe mode when you restart. Click on the icon for the administrators account at the Account Log On screen. When system boots to the desktop, reset your password with these steps:

• Start > Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Computer Management
• Double click on Local Users and Groups > Users folder
• Right click on the account username with the lost password, and click Set Password
• Reset Password – New Password and Confirm Password should be blank
• Restart your PC and log in

How to Recover your Windows 7 Password

To recover your lost password, you can use a password reset disk. Windows 7 lets you create a password reset disk for this task. However, it is important to note that you can use this method only if you create the disk before you lose your password. To create the disk, go to User Accounts > Control Panel, then click Create Password reset disk. Follow the reset disk wizard prompt. Another way to retrieve your forgotten or lost password is to use a special Windows 7 password recovery software. These are designed to retrieve lost user credentials automatically. There are a few tools that work on this principle.

• They automatically create a bootable CD or USB flash drive. Then, they start copying all the files needed to your CD or flash drive.
• The software then starts locating the system user.
• When it finds the system user, the recovery tool starts recovering your lost password.
• After the process is completed, all you have to do next is reboot your computer. You will notice that you can log in to your PC without entering a password.

Contact Microsoft Customer Support

This should only be your last resort if the above steps didn’t work for you. There are pros and cons to calling in for support.

Pros:

• Your problem eventually gets fixed.
• If you can get on the phone with a Microsoft agent, he or she will provide you with easy to follow steps.

Cons:

• You may be charged an outrageously high price just for talking to them on the phone.
• Agents of Microsoft can sometimes over-complicate things.
• Sometimes the conversations are prolonged since they have to go over the protocol, even if you have already done the first few suggestions they give you.

The next time you lose your password for Windows XP or Windows 7, you don’t have to worry about it. Simply follow the tips above and recover your password in no time.