How to Reset Your Windows 7 Password Without a Password Reset Disk or Windows CD

Steps

1. 
   1
   Use another computer to complete steps 1 and 2. Go to http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop and download Ubuntu. You can use another Linux operating system, but this tutorial will use Ubuntu.
2. 
   2
   Once your download is completed, Burn the Ubuntu ISO to DVD. This will make a live CD. You will be able to run the Ubuntu operating system without installing it.
3. 
   3
   Make sure the Ubuntu DVD you just created is in your CD drive and restart your computer. Hit enter if it prompts you to boot from CD. If not, find out how to get to the Boot Menu on your machine.
4. 
   4
   Click “Try Ubuntu” and wait for the operating system to load.
5. 
   5
   On the taskbar click “Places” and select your hard drive for windows 7. This will automatically mount the windows hard drive to Ubuntu.
6. 
   6
   Click on the folder “Windows” then click the “system32” folder.
7. 
   7
   Find a file called Utilman.exe, right click the file and re-name it Utilman1.exe.
8. 
   8
   Find a file called cmd.exe. Right click the file and select "Save a copy", and then re-name the copied file Utilman.exe.
9. 
   9
   Restart your computer.
10. 
    10
    Once Windows is loaded and you are greeted with the login screen, click the icon for “ease of access” at the bottom left. Instead of the ease of access program coming up we now have command prompt.
11. 
    11
    In the command prompt type in “net user user_name new_password” where: user_name is your account name you are trying to log into and new_password is your new password. For example: my account name is Defcon and I want my password to be passwd123, so I enter: net user Defcon passwd123.

    • Warning: messing around in the command prompt can cause system damage!
12. 
    12
    Log in with your new password.