How to recover lost Windows passwords

September 14th, 2007 by Ross McKillop | Print This Post Print This Post
Security Windows

If you’ve lost your Windows password and you’re locked out of your computer, you can use the Ophcrack LiveCD to recover your password(s). This tutorial will guide you through doing just that.

  1. Start by downloading the Ophcrack Live CD. This is the longest part of the entire process, as it’s about 455MB.
  2. Burn the .iso file to CD. If you need help creating a boot CD from the .iso file, see this tutorial.
  3. After you’ve burned the .iso, set your computer to boot from your CD/DVD drive (make sure the CD is in the drive).
  4. You’ll be presented with the Ophcrack LiveCD menu. Leave the default selected and hit enter on your keyboard (or just wait 5 seconds for it to automatically boot).
  5. ophcrack live cd
    click to enlarge

  6. Slax, the version of Linux that is packaged with Ophcrack, will start up.
  7. ophcrack live cd
    click to enlarge

  8. Ophcrack will start on its own, and the passwords for each of your Windows users will be cracked and displayed on screen.
  9. ophcrack live cd
    click to enlarge

  10. Write down the password(s), remove the CD from your CD/DVD drive and restart your computer. Now you can log in to Windows again.

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  1. 4 Responses to “How to recover lost Windows passwords”

  2. By Sn3ipen on Sep 20, 2007 | Reply

    Great. But do this work with all versions of windows??

  1. 3 Trackback(s)

  2. Sep 26, 2007: » Come recuperare le password di Windows perdute Geekissimo
  3. Sep 26, 2007: How to recover lost Windows passwords | .:Lir3nt’s Hack:.
  4. Jan 4, 2008: links for 2008-01-05 at noahcarter.com

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