Administrator Password in Windows XP: how to reset it if you forget (Part 4)

Linux boot disks: (2) EBCD 0.6/0.6 Pro

Topics on this page:

Methods to reset the Administrator or administrative user password (continued from Part 3)

• [5.2] EBCD 0.6/0.6 Pro

Methods to reset the Administrator or administrative user password

(continued from Part 3)

5.2. EBCD 0.6/0.6 Pro

The Emergency Boot CD (EBCD, 51 MB) has DOS and Linux tools including an NT password editor which uses Linux and is similar but not exactly identical to Offline NT Password and Registry Editor. This tool is in both version 6 and 6 Pro. Unlike Offline NT Password and Registry Editor, you need to make an ISO and burn it to CDR. The website has further instructions.

First attempt

It caused VMWare to crash with the same internal monitor failure message as Offline NT Password and Registry Editor. Figure 1 shows where it crashed.

Fig. 1. EBCD: NT password editor.

Second attempt

When tested in the non-virtual environment it loaded successfully with a screen saying:

This utility will enable you to change or blank the password of almost any user (incl. administrator) on an [sic] Windows NT/2k/XP installation WITHOUT knowing the old password. Unlocking locked/disabled accounts also supported...
Syskey support.
It also has a registry editor, and there is now support for adding and deleting keys and values.

It correctly deleted all the NTFS partitions but listed them in Linux terminology and you have to type it when selecting (e.g. /dev/hdb2 for the tested installation on the second partition on the second hard disc in my case).

It correctly identified the SAM file and the various accounts but listed my account incorrectly as disabled or locked.

When the Administrator account was chosen, it identified various settings like the failed count. The steps to blank the Administrator password were similar to those in the Offline NT Password and Registry Editor, including the error messages at the end. However, it doesn't trigger check disk (chkdsk) on reboot. The Administrator password was blanked successfully.

Conclusion

In terms of function it is rather similar to Offline NT Password and Registry Editor but you need to make and burn the ISO to CD first. It did its job and does not set chkdsk on reboot.

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Created 2 Mar 2004; last updated 6 Sept 2004