[color=red:2c4f443aec]I found this useful back when I [b:2c4f443aec]found[/b:2c4f443aec] a loptop that had Vista installed
and passworded. Maybe someone else will find it useful as well.[/color:2c4f443aec]

[quote:2c4f443aec]You boozed it up with your friends last night, and now you've gone and killed the 
brain cells that held your Vista password. What do you do? Thankfully there is a 
way to reset your password so you can get back in, but you'll need access to 
another computer, and your wallet, to make it work. 

  <LI>You go to logon but you can't remember your password. Try as you may, it's 
  not letting you in.<BR><A href="http://itsvista.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/password1.jpg">
  <IMG src="http://itsvista.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/password1.thumbnail.jpg"></A> <A href="http://itsvista.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/password2.jpg">
  <IMG alt="Password not accepted" src="http://itsvista.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/password2.thumbnail.jpg"></A> 
 
 <LI>There's an option to 'Reset your password', but you find when you click it 
  that you should have previously created a 'Reset Disc' as I described in <A href="http://itsvista.com/2006/12/itsvista-tip-9-reset-your-vista-password-with-your-ipod/">an 
  earlier tip</A>. If you had created that disc, you'd be able to reset your 
  password without further hassle, but since you didn't, it's going to cost you 
  in time, effort, and dollars.<BR><A href="http://itsvista.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/password3.jpg">
  <IMG alt="Reset Password" src="http://itsvista.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/password3.thumbnail.jpg"></A> <A href="http://itsvista.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/password4.jpg">
  <IMG alt="Reset Password Wizard" src="http://itsvista.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/password4.thumbnail.jpg"></A> 
 
 <LI>Active@ Password Changer to the rescue! I always prefer free alternatives 
  to any task, and I've read that there is a way to reset a password through a 
  Linux disc, but I've also heard you need to know Linux to build it and make it 
  work. In a situation like this where you need to get back in easily and 
  quickly, sometimes spending a few dollars is justified (if you're time and 
  data isn't worth the cost of the software, you can always reinstall Vista). On 
  another computer, go to the <A href="http://www.password-changer.com/">Password Changer</A> website and 
  purchase Active Password Changer ($39.99-$59.99). The method I'll be 
  displaying here is available through the less expensive 3.0 version. Look for 
  a review soon that will show how the newer 3.5 version works. Note that there 
  is a demo version available that works for all but the last (and most 
  important) step of actually resetting the password. 
 
 <LI>Once you've purchased and installed the software (they send you a link to 
  download the software), create a bootable ISO CD/DVD using the steps I 
  describe in my post called &quot;<A href="http://itsvista.com/2007/04/imgburn-a-free-vista-compatible-disc-image-burning-package/">ImgBurn: A free Vista compatible disc image burning package</A>&quot;. 
 You'll find the iso image file at C:\Program Files\Active Data Recovery Software\Active
 Password Changer\Pwd-changer-boot-cd.iso if you used the default installation options. 
 
 <LI>Once you have the boot disc created, pop it into your Vista computer and 
  start it up. Depending on how your BIOS is set, it may automatically boot from 
  the disc, or you may have to bring up a boot device menu. On Dell computers 
  you can do this by pressing F12 at the beginning of the boot process, most 
  boot screens will display information on what key you need to press to get the 
  menu where you will then want to choose your CD/DVD drive (Leave a comment 
  letting others know your brand of computer and how you got to your boot 
  menu!). 

  <LI>When the computer boots from the boot disc you'll see this initial screen 
  asking how you'd like to boot. Type 0 to do a clean boot with the 
  Active@ Password Changer software.<BR><A href="http://itsvista.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/password5.jpg">
  <IMG alt="Welcome Screen" src="http://itsvista.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/password5.thumbnail.jpg"></A> 
 
 <LI>You'll then get three options, I selected option 2 (type 2 then 
  press Enter to let the software go find the file it needs.<BR><A href="http://itsvista.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/password6.jpg">
  <IMG src="http://itsvista.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/password6.thumbnail.jpg"></A> 
 
 <LI>The software will search the available drives on your computer looking for 
  SAM databases, which is where your user account information is stored.<BR><A href="http://itsvista.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/password7.jpg">
  <IMG src="http://itsvista.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/password7.thumbnail.jpg"></A> 

  <LI>Once it finds it, press Enter to continue. If you have more than 
  one OS installed, you'll need to select the one you wish to reset.<BR><A href="http://itsvista.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/password8.jpg"><IMG src="http://itsvista.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/password8.thumbnail.jpg"></A> 
  
<LI>You'll see a list of accounts that exist in the selected SAM database. If 
  you're the only user on the computer there will likely be three accounts: 
  Administrator, Guest, and your account. Type the number of your account 
  (probably 1) and press Enter.<BR><A href="http://itsvista.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/password9.jpg">
  <IMG alt="Select account" src="http://itsvista.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/password9.thumbnail.jpg"></A> 
 
 <LI>You'll see how the software is going to change that users account, namely 
  by clearing the users password. Press &lt;EM&gt;Y&lt;/EM&gt; to tell it to make the 
  change.<BR><A href="http://itsvista.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/password10.jpg">
  <IMG alt="Clear password" src="http://itsvista.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/password10.thumbnail.jpg"></A> 
 
 <LI>Done! You'll be told that the change was made, your password has been 
  reset to be empty. You can now eject the boot disc, and restart your 
  computer.<BR><A href="http://itsvista.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/password11.jpg">
  <IMG src="http://itsvista.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/password11.thumbnail.jpg"></A> 
  
<LI>Vista will load, and if your's is the only account, it will automatically 
  login. You're back baby!<BR><A href="http://itsvista.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/password12.jpg">
  <IMG alt="Welcome Back!" src="http://itsvista.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/password12.thumbnail.jpg"></A>
<P>Once you're back in you should set a password (stay tuned, the next tip will 
describe how to do that) and you should also create a reset disc as I describe 
in <A href="http://itsvista.com/2006/12/itsvista-tip-9-reset-your-vista-password-with-your-ipod/">tip 9</A> (sure you have a way to reset the password, but it's always good to have options).[/quote:2c4f443aec]
[color=red:2c4f443aec]For {dFb} Members Password Changer is available for free from TURDinc.[/color:2c4f443aec]