How to Reset Windows Local Password with Parted Magic

By | September 19, 2016

Parted Magic is a Linux-based bootable disk with disk partitioning & cloning tools. In this tutorial we’ll show you how to create a Parted Magic Live CD (or USB) and use it to reset forgotten local account password for Windows operating system.

How to Reset Windows Local Password with Parted Magic?

  1. Download the ISO image of Parted Magic and use your favorite burning software (for instance, ISO2Disc) to burn it to an empty CD (or USB thumb drive).
  2. Boot your computer from the Parted Magic LiveCD. The first screen you’ll see a list of options. Select the default option as it works with most computers.

    parted-magic-boot-options

  3. When booted to the desktop, click on the Parted Magic button located at the left bottom corner. Select Rescue and then click Change Windows Password.

    parted-magic-desktop

  4. You’ll be prompted to pick a method to change or reset your password, click the “Not Hibernated – Windows PC was Shut Down” option.

    windows-password-reset-methods

  5. Next select your Windows installation that was detected by Parted Magic.

    select-windows-installation

  6. This will start the built-in chntpw utility. Type 1 and press Enter to select “Edit user data and passwords“.

    chntpw-main-menu

  7. You’ll see all Windows user names shown on the screen. Type the RID of that account you want to reset password for, and hit Enter.

    select-local-account

  8. Type 1 and hit Enter if you want to remove the password for your selected user.

    reset-windows-local-password

  9. Now that you’ve cleared the local password. Type q to exit the User Edit Menu.

    exit-user-edit-menu

  10. Type q to quite the chntpw program.

    quit-chntpw

  11. Type y to save your password reset changes back to disk.

    write-registry-hive

    Reboot your computer and eject Parted Magic LiveCD, you can then log in to Windows local account without a password! That’s it!