Locked out of my laptop

[scotzsue]

have a laptop with windows, set up a password and passcode when grandkids were here with a different one for them to access with parental controls. Won't open on passcode, can't remember password and the reminder doesn't help. tried to reset but it says to connect the external drive, or disc. Don't have either, when we bought the laptops had to make recovery disc or memory stick which we did. John can't find his and when i put mine in it isn't recognised. There are a few/lot of things on there especially photos i want to access. Any ideas where I go from here.

 

[Nanniemate]

Turn it off unplug from leccy

Leave for 20 minutes or cup of tea turn it back on thus happened to me

I was about to throw it out of the window
Had a cuppa and presto
Back to.my log in page

 

[ChrisL]

Turn it off unplug from leccy

Leave for 20 minutes or cup of tea turn it back on thus happened to me

I was about to throw it out of the window
Had a cuppa and presto
Back to.my log in page

You may need to pull the battery as well if it's a laptop.

 

[meanders]

There are options but none of them simple unfortunately. If you have another machine available, you can download and install a Linux bootable onto a USB or CD drive if the machine has one. You will find step by step instructions on the website of how to recover the Windows password although to be fair have never done it on W10 or 11 so it may not work.

If you set it up so Microsoft hold the password using a MS account, their website allows you to change the password using the email address you first used.

I am afraid I had a machine brought to me this morning with the same problem. They no longer have the email they registered with MS

I will break with all advice here and tell you the only way to prevent this is to write down the key login details and lock them up somewhere safe. Not on your phone which seems to be most people's first move.

 

[Brains]

No use now.
But I would strongly recommend getting a Password Manager.

It means you only have to remember one password.
All my other passwords (including the one to open up this site) are 20+ characters of gobbledegook

There are about a dozen decent ones to choose from.
Most have a free version which will do.
But given the importance of passwords, I suggest the upgrade to the paid version would be good security.

I have used a password manager for about 10 years,
I don't have "a little black book" (or worse still, a spreadsheet!!) of passwords written down.

Other than the master password, I have no idea what my password is to any of the 300+ websites I have password access to.

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[Nanniemate]

There are options but none of them simple unfortunately. If you have another machine available, you can download and install a Linux bootable onto a USB or CD drive if the machine has one. You will find step by step instructions on the website of how to recover the Windows password although to be fair have never done it on W10 or 11 so it may not work.

If you set it up so Microsoft hold the password using a MS account, their website allows you to change the password using the email address you first used.

I am afraid I had a machine brought to me this morning with the same problem. They no longer have the email they registered with MS

I will break with all advice here and tell you the only way to prevent this is to write down the key login details and lock them up somewhere safe. Not on your phone which seems to be most people's first move.

Never save to a phone that is not very secure
They are on a post it note




Stuck to the laptop

 

[Morning Major]

If your Windows laptop won't open due to a forgotten password and you don’t have a recovery drive or disc, there are a couple of methods you can try to regain access.

You can use Windows Installation Media (USB/DVD)

This is a long winded and potentially complicated method but if you have access to another computer, create a Windows installation USB or DVD using Microsoft’s Media Creation Tool.

Boot from the installation media, select "Repair your computer" > "Troubleshoot" > "Command Prompt".

Use commands like:

bootrec /fixmbr (repairs Master Boot Record)

bootrec /fixboot (fixes boot sector issues)

bootrec /rebuildbcd (rebuilds Boot Configuration Data)

If the issue is file corruption, try running chkdsk C: /f /r or if not try sfc /scannow which may help.


Reset Password via Microsoft Account (If Linked)

If you used a Microsoft account to log in (instead of a local account), you can reset the password online:

Go to Microsoft’s password reset page from another device.

Follow the steps to reset your password.

Use the new password to log in.


Finally, as you have personal data and all else fails you could consider removing the hard drive and accessing it via another computer or an external enclosure. If it is not corrupt you will be able to save your files.


Good luck!

 

[barryd]

If you are not using a microsoft account to login but a normal local Windows account this solution using command prompt and Utilman.exe used to work. Ive not tried it for yonks but have used this method before. Its a bit techy but doable if you take your time. Worth a go. I think it only works for administrator accounts and they have to be local accounts (As in not a microsoft account).

Video is a bit naff.

 

[repairer]

have a laptop with windows, set up a password and passcode when grandkids were here with a different one for them to access with parental controls. Won't open on passcode, can't remember password and the reminder doesn't help. tried to reset but it says to connect the external drive, or disc. Don't have either, when we bought the laptops had to make recovery disc or memory stick which we did. John can't find his and when i put mine in it isn't recognised. There are a few/lot of things on there especially photos i want to access. Any ideas where I go from here.

What version of windows?

 

[Gellyneck]

There are options but none of them simple unfortunately. If you have another machine available, you can download and install a Linux bootable onto a USB or CD drive if the machine has one. You will find step by step instructions on the website of how to recover the Windows password although to be fair have never done it on W10 or 11 so it may not work.

If you set it up so Microsoft hold the password using a MS account, their website allows you to change the password using the email address you first used.

I am afraid I had a machine brought to me this morning with the same problem. They no longer have the email they registered with MS

I will break with all advice here and tell you the only way to prevent this is to write down the key login details and lock them up somewhere safe. Not on your phone which seems to be most people's first move.

First thing I do when getting a new machine is partition the hard drive into operating system and data files. As a last resort it means you can do a clean reinstall and you keep your data intact on the other partition.
Bit of a faff but ..............

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[scotzsue]

Turn it off unplug from leccy

Leave for 20 minutes or cup of tea turn it back on thus happened to me

I was about to throw it out of the window
Had a cuppa and presto
Back to.my log in page

Am getting the log in page just not able to log in. Had been switched off for weeks.

 

[scotzsue]

No idea which widows Iam on. could connect it to his laptop but if mine is corrupt that would corrupt his too will ask when the news is finished.
John when he has finished watching the news, he also has a desk top which runs linux.
I know the 4 number code i am using is correct, well it or another 2 tried all 3 with no success.
laptop was dead and had to be recharged when i switched it on.
Would love to remember what i was wanting to access other than photos

 

[gus-lopez]

will break with all advice here and tell you the only way to prevent this is to write down the key login details and lock them up somewhere safe.

I have 27 A4 sheets of passwords

 

[fishplug]

Never save to a phone that is not very secure
They are on a post it note




Stuck to the laptop

I've advised customers on how to do that securely....

You simply have one half of the password written down on a piece of paper stuck to the laptop....

...and the other half is the same for all your passwords so you only have to remember "MotorhomeFun!" and you can write down "MyLaptop" and "MyOnlineBanking" and your ACTUAL passwords can be "MyLaptopMotorhomeFun!", "MyOnlineBankingMotorhomeFun!"....

As always, if you can mix upper and lower case, numbers and special characters (punctuation) and have a longer password then you're making the chances of cracking it very much lower.

Want to know how long it would take to crack your passwords?

Try them here

(spoiler alert, "MyLaptopMotorhomeFun!" would take a computer 1 hundred quintillion years to crack... It's pretty secure)

A password manager is better. I use Keeper but I also apply the same principle. The passwords stored in a password manager can also be 'partial' so if you add a set prefix or suffix to them that's the same for all of them and that way even if your cloud based password manager gets hacked, then they still don't have your full password....

I've posted this so many times on so many different forums - but it really does explain passwords so very well...

Not that that helps the OP in any way right now, but for the future...

Don't really have much practical advice on that as I'm not a Windows person but I do feel your pain.

Hope you find a solution that saves your data.

 

[meanders]

They are on a post it note

Stuck to the laptop

Seen that more times than I can remember. A password manager is only good if you can get past the login screen which is not the case here. Nor would either of the two I have used work at the login screen. Hence write it down and put it somewhere safe, preferably under lock and key.

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[Nanniemate]

Seen that more times than I can remember. A password manager is only good if you can get past the login screen which is not the case here. Nor would either of the two I have used work at the login screen. Hence write it down and put it somewhere safe, preferably under lock and key.

It's rather amusing how many people do it leve it on their desk in a drawer

 

[LostInSpace]

If you have access to another PC (any model), then,

if you can take the disc drive out of the locked laptop and put it in a USB caddy, then you acess to your files.

 

[barryd]

Just a thought but if you are sure you know the passcode and you still have that option is it possible there is an issue with the keyboard? Maybe try a USB keyboard to enter the passcode at boot up.

 

[scotzsue]

If you have access to another PC (any model), then,

if you can take the disc drive out of the locked laptop and put it in a USB caddy, then you acess to your files.

? You have lost me there, wondering if i can download the info required. To a memory stick, from John's pc, then put stick in my lap top. Haven't looked at it since,

 

[ChrisL]

? You have lost me there, wondering if i can download the info required. To a memory stick, from John's pc, then put stick in my lap top. Haven't looked at it since,

I think what he is suggesting is that you physically remove the hard disk from your laptop and install it into the device i've linked to below, then you could connect it to another computer via the usb cable and search your hard drive for the data you want to save and copy it either too the laptop you're using to do the search or to a usb stick if you have more then one usb slot. I hope that makes sense.

SSK Aluminum 2.5" Hard Drive Enclosure USB C 3.1/3.2 Gen2 6Gbps External HDD Caddy Adapter Reader with UASP for 2.5inch 7/9.5mm SATA HDD/SSD Compatible with WD Seagate PS4/5 Xbox ect. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08TQMWC2X?tag=mhf04-21

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[scotzsue]

I think what he is suggesting is that you physically remove the hard disk from your laptop and install it into the device i've linked to below, then you could connect it to another computer via the usb cable and search your hard drive for the data you want to save and copy it either too the laptop you're using to do the search or to a usb stick if you have more then one usb slot. I hope that makes sense.

SSK Aluminum 2.5" Hard Drive Enclosure USB C 3.1/3.2 Gen2 6Gbps External HDD Caddy Adapter Reader with UASP for 2.5inch 7/9.5mm SATA HDD/SSD Compatible with WD Seagate PS4/5 Xbox ect. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08TQMWC2X?tag=mhf04-21

Have one of those it was supposedto have the rebbot info on it.

 

[swemmy666]

There are options but none of them simple unfortunately. If you have another machine available, you can download and install a Linux bootable onto a USB or CD drive if the machine has one. You will find step by step instructions on the website of how to recover the Windows password although to be fair have never done it on W10 or 11 so it may not work.

If you set it up so Microsoft hold the password using a MS account, their website allows you to change the password using the email address you first used.

I am afraid I had a machine brought to me this morning with the same problem. They no longer have the email they registered with MS

I will break with all advice here and tell you the only way to prevent this is to write down the key login details and lock them up somewhere safe. Not on your phone which seems to be most people's first move.

use a product like keepass, keep copies of the DB on your phone/laptop etc, make sure there is only one master copy!

I always set up multiple windows admin ids, on any new installation, lose of password is just one way an id might become inoperable

 

[ChrisL]

I haven't needed to reset the password on my laptop so can't verify these instructions but you could try these if you wish, at your own risk, or take it to PC repair shop.

 

[Bandos]

Can't spell WINDOWS!!