4 Ways To Get Back Into Your Locked Windows Account

Unfortunately, a commonly-asked question for computer users is how can I get back into my account if I have lost or forgotten my password? Well, there are quite a few different methods but I will touch upon the four easiest ways to do so. Namely:

• Use another admin account
• Use pw reset disk
• Pw recovery tool
• Reinstall windows

If you are not completely locked out, meaning another person with administrative privileges can log in, you can simple go to Control Panel, User Accounts, Manage User Accounts, Reset User Password. Anyone who is an Administrator on the computer you are locked out of can reset your password for you. The only problem with doing it this way is that if you have any encrypted data, you will not be able to access it unless you have a copy of the original encryption key used with it.

The next method is to use a pre-made password reset disk. You did do as Microsoft advised and created one, right? Simply follow the on-screen instructions to reset your password. To make a password reset disk go to Control Panel, User Accounts, click Create a password reset disk, on the left-hand side.

Perhaps the best method to get back into your computer if you have been completely locked out is to download a free password reset tool. There are several free and paid versions of this type of software available online. I recommend a free, open-source version called Ophcrack. With this program you create a boot CD which retrieves your encrypted user password and runs a cracking tool on it. The software purports to be 99.9% effective, depending upon the strength of your password.

Finally, if all else fails, you may have to reinstall Windows. Doing so will mean you won't have access to any encrypted data without a copy of your personal encryption key. In addition, you will have to reinstall all your software programs; however, all of your personal data should remain intact. Just be sure to do a re-install and do not format the partition! Doing so will wipe out everything on the partition.

Hopefully, you will never find yourself in a situation where you have completely locked yourself out of your own computer. But if you have, using one of the four aforementioned tips should get you back in. Always be sure to create a password reset disk for yourself and pick a good password hint when you first create a Windows user account. Doing so will prevent any future headaches.

By: Eric Andersson

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Eric Alan Anderson is a Systems & Support Administrator for a mid-sized BioPharma Company. He has over ten years in the Information Technology field. He is involved with many sites and his latest takes a look at USB virus removal and how to remove trojan.gen.