Forgot your administrator password? If y'all're using Windows NT 4.0 or some version of Windows 2000, you tin can reset the administrator user business relationship countersign by using a uncomplicated fox and hack that involves default screen saver, beside using third-party countersign recovery system or apps such equally Login Recovery. With logon.scr countersign reset crack method, users can reset the admin user account password, without knowing or remembering existing password. Just the trick won't reveal and get dorsum the existing countersign, nor information technology will work on newer Windows operating system such equally Windows XP, Windows 2003 Server, Windows Vista, Windows vii, Windows Server 2008 (R2) or later on that has tighter security and privileges limitation.

To change reset the local administrator's password on Windows NT and Windows 2000 (only on some versions, so you have to effort your luck), or domain admin password on a Domain Controller (DC) running on Windows NT or Windows 2000, follow these steps:

  1. Logon or login to the Windows figurer with any user account.
  2. Navigate to %systemroot%\System32 in Windows Explorer. %systemroot% is your Windows installation folder, and unremarkably located in \WINNT or \Windows (i.e. \WINNT\System32).
  3. Save a copy of LOGON.SCR file, or just rename the logon.scr file to something else. Just brand certain that you remember where and what name is the backup copy.
  4. Delete the original LOGON.SCR from the %systemroot%\System32 sub-folder subsequently you take backed information technology up. The file should no longer exist if you rename it.
    If you having trouble to delete or rename LOGON.SCR, information technology may be due to permission settings. Try to accept ownership of the LOGON.SCR (by right clicking on LOGON.SCR, then select Properties and go to the Security tab, so click on the Ownership. Click "Take Ownership" and then click Yes to the prompt message.), and requite the Everyone grouping Full Control permissions (by correct clicking on LOGON.SCR then select Properties, and then go to Security tabs. Click on Add and browse to and add the Everyone group. Give Everyone Full Command and then click on OK.) You may need to install an alternating second copy of Windows on the machine to do and so every bit detailed at the finish of this article.
  5. Copy and paste the CMD.EXE located in %systemroot%\System32 to create additional copy of CMD.EXE in the same directory, then rename the new copied file as LOGON.SCR. This volition permit the Windows NT or Windows 2000 to use CMD.EXE command prompt program equally the screen saver that will be activated after computer idle for specific minutes.
  6. Ensure that you activate the screen saver of the Windows.
  7. Wait for the figurer screen saver activation idle look time timeout, so that Windows will load the unprotected DOS control prompt in the context of the local organization account as if it's the screen saver.
  8. In the CMD command prompt that is opened, key in the following command to reset and change the administrator'due south password:
    internet user administrator newpassword

    And the user account for administrator will have the new countersign of newpassword (which y'all should change to your own password). With the syntax of net apply user_name new_password, it can exist used to reset or modify the password of other administrative user account's passwords.

  9. You tin can now log on to the administrator account with the new password. You lot may want to replace back the original LOGON.SCR that has been backed up or renamed.
  10. Y'all may want to delete the alternating installation of Windows, past deleting the installation folder or format the partition (if you install in different partition), and removing the second Windows entry in Kick.INI file at the root. Use attrib -r -s -h c:\boot.ini to change and permit the boot.ini to be modified and viewed.

Unless yous're using Windows NT 4.0 computers that were installed out-of-the-box that set up the NT's default permissions for Anybody to Full Control, you most probable will have trouble to rename, modify or delete the files located in \Winnt\System32 or \Windows\System32 folders if you log in equally the non administrative regular user, as regular user cannot manipulate the files' permissions.

In this case, install an alternate 2nd copy or Windows NT or Windows 2000 (make sure it's the same version with the existing Bone which you have forget the password installed), and the new install of Windows must be installed in different directory/folder from the existing Windows, which usually located in \WinNT or \Windows, or install the new Windows on another sectionalisation or drive. Alternatively, you can have out the difficult bulldoze (where y'all lost the admin countersign) and place or install information technology as a slave on another computer with any Bone such as Windows XP or Windows 2000 installed. The purpose is to access the %systemroot%\System32 of the OS that y'all have lost or forgot the administrator password, and does the modification specified to a higher place.

Subsequently installing the alternating re-create of Windows, or install the hard disk equally the slave deejay to another Windows in a computer, kicking upward the system with the alternate Windows. If yous install the second re-create of Windows on the aforementioned machine, go to Control Panel -> System -> Startup (NT) or Command Panel -> Arrangement -> Advanced -> Startup and Recovery (W2K) and change the default boot instance back to your original case of Windows. Then follow the pace 2 to 4 in a higher place. After done, reboot and restart the system and bootup to the original case of Windows (if you have up the hard disk to another machine, now put information technology back to the original computer), and continue the residue of steps from pace 5 onwards.

Update: reset or retrieve Windows admin or user account passwords.