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In my previous question:

I forgot the Windows 7 password on my own computer, I used the trick described in Resetting Your Forgotten Windows Password (http://www.howtogeek.com/96630/how-to-reset-your-forgotten-windows-password-the-easy-way/):

Boot from the Windows 7 repair ISO.

Execute:

copy c:\windows\system32\cmd.exe c:\windows\system32\sethc.exe Use the Sticky Keys feature of the log in screen (now the command prompt) to execute:

net user Admin MyNewPassword I kept the file there in case I ever forgot it again.

A client of mine asked if I could do the same for him, and he also has a PC with Windows 7 Professional x32.

I followed the same steps as on my computer. The command of step 2 says it was successful, but when press Shift five times to trigger Sticky Keys, the regular message for sethc.exe opens up.

I tried entering the command of step 3 directly from the repair ISO. This claimed to be successful as well, but the password was not changed!

What I'm doing wrong?

I have realized the problem is bigger than just not being able to change the password, any changes made to files using CMD don't actually change... and I can't figure out why.

In regard to the password, I tried using several "password reset" ISOs and they also look like they work but don't actually change anything.

CMD:

Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation.  All rights reserved.
C:\Windows\system32>net user Administrator NEWPASS
The command completed successfully.
C:\Windows\system32>

Password doesn't change.

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  • Perhaps there are two instances of Windows installed on the computer, and you're manipulating the wrong one?
    – Harry Johnston
    Commented Jan 28, 2013 at 23:52
  • It would seem so, but as far I can tell there is not. When I run windows recovery it only show once instance of windows installed. This is frustrating
    – Jack '
    Commented Jan 29, 2013 at 7:54
  • After copying cmd.exe over sethc.exe, you need to exit the recovery environment and boot back into the HDD installation of Windows. What method did you use to exit the recovery environment? (Put another way, how did you reboot the computer?)
    – Harry Johnston
    Commented Jan 30, 2013 at 20:06
  • I think I clicked "restart" in the repair disc menu, or I may have just turned the computer off and back on without the repair disc inside. I did the same thing to the other computer and it worked. Is there another way to boot into HDD installation of windows?
    – Jack '
    Commented Jan 30, 2013 at 21:29
  • Changes made on the HDD might not stick properly if you just turn the computer off without explicitly shutting down the recovery environment. Clicking "restart" in the repair disc menu should be fine, and if changes to the HDD aren't sticking in that case the computer might have some sort of security software installed, or perhaps a physical problem with the drive, or a malware infection (though I've never heard of one behaving that way) or something else unusual is going on.
    – Harry Johnston
    Commented Jan 30, 2013 at 22:29

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
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I would recommend you use the Offline NT Password and Registry Editor to reset your Windows password.

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  • Thanks for the response. I have tried that and like the other programs, it claims to work but does not!
    – Jack '
    Commented Jan 28, 2013 at 16:44
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Old question but I encountered this exactly on the weekend so worth answering I think . . .

Answer 1: Why don't the files change ? What is going wrong?

You booted from the Windows 7 repair ISO. And then ran command-line (cmd.exe).

I think the files you see mounted in disk in Windows/system32 are not the files from your hard disk. They are the files mounted from the repair CD. I saw this when booting with a Windows 7 repair CD. When you run 'net user administrator *' or other commands you are manipulating the accounts in memory only of the repair cd boot. So your password change doesn't persist or take effect on your hard disk and actual windows user accounts.

When running in that command line look for disks c: d: x: etc. Use 'wmic logicaldisk get name'. Check does the disk and contents look like your hard disk or does it actually look like the rescue cd disk.

Answer 2: How can you get it to work?

So anyway I would have preferred if Windows 7 repair CD allowed me to recover password without hacking. But it didn't work out for me.

What did work was not using any repair CD. Power off windows during startup to trigger reboot with system recovery. After system recovery it was possible to trigger command-line as Administrator user with the hard disk mounted and ability to modify the files.

I have recorded my experience and eventual success using this replace sticky keys sethc.exe with cmd.exe hack in more detail here: https://superuser.com/a/1128410/307382 What can I do if I forgot my Windows password?

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