Resetting Windows Administrator Password Using Linux

Resetting Windows Administrator Password Using Linux: In case you or a friend of yours has forgotten his/her Windows administrator password, or in rare case your password management software screws up, there’s no need to panic as you can easily reset the password provided you have the right tools. One way to do this is to use Linux as your knight in shining armor.

I’m going to show you how you can smoothly reset a Windows Administrator password using Linux. You will only need a Live CD, and for this example, we will utilize Ubuntu. Also, I assume that you have the basic knowledge on using the Linux command line.

Now let’s get started:

The first thing you have to do is of course load your Ubuntu Live CD. You don’t have to install it, just boot straight into the desktop. Then, install a program called ‘chntpw’:

$ sudo apt-get install chntpw

After successfully installing ‘chntpw’, you have to access the Windows NTFS partition by mounting it and allowing read/write support. A good tutorial on how to do this can be found HERE.

After that, use your command line skills by navigating to ‘WINDOWS/system32/config’.

Once inside the ‘config’ directory, issue this command:

$ sudo chntpw SAM

A long display of information will follow. Just ignore them.

Once you are prompted to reset the password, it is recommended to leave the password blank with an asterisk *. Reboot, and you can now login to freakin’ Windows.