Reset Windows passwords with chntpw using a Linux Live USB

Have you ever forgotten your Windows login password and been locked out of your own computer?
There is a way to reset your Windows password using a Linux Live USB drive and a tool called chntpw. Here, we will show how.

Step 1: Create a Linux Live USB drive

First, you'll need to create a Linux Live USB drive. You can use any Linux distribution that includes the chntpw package. We will be using Ubuntu:

• Download the Ubuntu ISO file from the official website.
• Burn the ISO file to a USB drive using a tool like Rufus or Etcher.
• Boot your computer from the USB drive.

Step 2: Install chntpw

Once you have booted into the Linux Live USB, you'll need to install the chntpw package. To install chntpw, open a terminal and run the following command:

sudo apt install chntpw

Step 3: Mount the Windows partition

Next, you'll need to mount the Windows partition that contains the password database. In the terminal, navigate to the directory where the Windows partition is mounted. This will typically be the Windows/System32/config/ directory.

cd ~/winmount/Windows/System32/config/

Step 4: List the Windows users

Now, list the Windows users stored in the password database by running the following command:

sudo chntpw -l SAM

This will display a list of Windows users along with their corresponding User IDs (UIDs).

Step 5: Reset the Windows password

Finally, you can reset the password for a specific Windows user by running the interactive command:

sudo chntpw -i SAM

This will launch a menu where you can select the user whose password you want to reset and also unlock accounts. Follow the prompts to reset the password. Then reboot into Windows.

Sources: https://doc.ubuntu-fr.org/tutoriel/chntpw; https://ostechnix.com/reset-windows-password-with-linux-live-cd/