How To Crack Your Forgotten Windows Password

There are a variety of methods for resetting your Windows password, but what happens if you are unable to reset your password? Consider the scenario in which you're encrypting your drive and changing the password will result in the deletion of all of your files. Instead, it's time to figure out what the password is.

For this, we'll use a program called Ophcrack to crack your password, allowing you to log in without having to change your current password.

Download Ophcrack

Obtaining the CD image from the Ophcrack website is the first step in the process. There are two download options available, one for XP and one for Vista, so make sure to select the correct one. There is no difference between the XP and Vista versions other than the "tables" used by Ophcrack to determine the password. The Vista download is compatible with either Windows Vista or Windows 7.

To burn the.iso file to a CD, first download it and then follow the instructions on the following page.

To crack your password on a device that does not have a CD drive, such as a netbook, you can use PenDrive Linux's universal USB creator, which is available for free download here (Link Below). Although a USB drive will run faster, if you copy the necessary tables to the drive, you can use a single USB drive for Windows XP, Vista, and 7, saving you time and money on multiple computers.

Download the free Ophcrack password tables in order to create a USB drive that is compatible with all versions of Microsoft Windows.

Note: There are both free and paid tables available on Ophcrack's website; the paid tables typically perform better and are capable of cracking more complex passwords; however, due to their size ranging from 3 GB to 135 GB, the paid tables may not fit on a USB drive; however, the free tables may fit on a USB drive.

Afterwards, unzip the files to the folder tablesvista free on your USB drive; Ophcrack will recognize and use the files automatically.

Start with a CD or USB drive

Start the computer by booting it from the CD or USB drive you've created.

Note: To bring up the boot menu on some computers, you may need to go into the BIOS settings or press a specific key combination.

As soon as the disk has been booted up, Ophcrack should automatically start and begin cracking passwords for all of the users on your system.

Note: For those who encounter a blank screen or Ophcrack that will not start, restart the computer and select the manual or low RAM options from the live CD boot menu to resolve the issue.

In the case of a complex password, it will take significantly longer to crack it than a simple password, and your password may never be cracked entirely as a result of the free tables available to hackers. You will be able to see the password in plain text once it has been cracked; make a note of it and restart the computer in order to log in. If your password has not been cracked, you can also log in as another administrator user and change your password from within Windows if yours has not been compromised.