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    Senior Product Manager
 

Summary
Want to get important data back from previous Vista computer but can not login without the password which has been forgotten? Now, you can get access to Windows Vista with or without disk! No data lost or system reinstall!




Since Windows 10 released and to improve my working efficiency, I purchased a new computer which is installed Windows 10. And my Vista computer just been idle in my house. However, I want to get some important data from the Vista computer but I forgot the password of the Vista computer after a long time of no use! Is it possible to get back my data without damage?
In today’s digital age, resetting passwords has become a routine part of our online lives. In fact, it’s a security measure that can never be overlooked. Passwords are an essential line of defense in protecting sensitive and personal information, and as such, they must be treated with care. Without strong passwords, hackers and cybercriminals can easily access our online accounts and cause serious damage.

Passwords are the keys to our digital kingdom, but they can also be a source of frustration. From forgotten passwords to complex password policies, managing our passwords can be overwhelming. However, forgetting your password is not the only reason to reset it. Sometimes, it’s important to reset your password to ensure that your account is secure. For example, if your computer is lost or stolen, resetting your password can prevent unauthorized access to your personal information. Similarly, if you suspect that your account has been compromised, resetting your password is an essential step to secure your account.

Resetting passwords is crucial not only for our personal online security but also for the protection of businesses and enterprises. In the wake of major data breaches that have affected millions of users worldwide, enterprises must prioritize the security of their customers’ data. And one of the simplest but most effective ways to do this is by implementing strong password policies and resetting passwords regularly.

Passwords are the first line of defense against cyberattacks, and resetting them regularly is an essential security practice. However, resetting passwords can also be a frustrating experience for users, especially if it’s not done right. As such, enterprises must ensure that their password reset process is quick, easy, and painless for their customers. By doing so, they can not only protect their customers’ data but also improve their overall customer experience.

Now, we can make use of methods below to reset Windows Vista password by our own and reserve all the data inside.

Method 1: Reset Windows Vista Password with Reset Disk

You can reset Windows Vista password with the pre-created password recovery disk. If you have created the password reset disk when you could login the account, please find the disk out and follow the steps below. If you do not have the password reset disk, we can still reset Vista Password without disk.
Step 1: Click “Reset Password” on your Vista’s login screen.
click to reset password
Step 2: Insert the password reset disk and wait for initialize then you will receive a drive letter message.
Step 3: To launch the Password Reset Wizard, please click “Reset Password”.
Step 4: Choose the target password reset disk in “Password Reset Wizard“.
select password reset disk
Step 5: Please wait a second and then you can set the new password for the account. After setting, please click “Next” to save the settings.
This operation will not erase or damage data inside the account.
set new password for Windows Vista account
Step 6: Then you can use the new password to login to your account in Windows Vista.
Once you change the password in Password Reset Wizard, the information in the password reset file will be different from the one in your password reset disk. So, as soon as you can login to your account, you need to create a new password reset disk in the Vista computer at once.

Method 2: Reset Windows Vista Password with Renee Passnow

Although we do not have password reset disk, we can still reset the password in Vista without losing data. Here we need to make use of the professional Windows password reset software – Renee Passnow.
Renee Passnow – Professional Windows Password Remover

Remove Windows Login Password 3 steps for whole password remove process.

Enable/Create Administrator One click for creating new administrator and enable the disabled account.

Widely Use New version supports UEFI boot model, which can be used on more computers, laptops and even surfaces.

Multifuctional Data transfer, data recovery, bootable problem recovery can be run without system.

Highly compatible Windows 10/8.1/8/7/XP/Vista.

Remove Login Password 3 steps for whole password remove process.

Enable/Create Administrator One click for creating new administrator and enable the disabled account.

Easy to use No need of any professional knowledge or password reset disk.

Free TrialFree TrialNow 2000 people have downloaded!

How to Reset Windows Vista Password without Reset Disk

Preparation – Create New Windows Vista Password Reset Disk with Renee Passnow

You need:

  • Renee Passnow (Download now!)
  • Windows PC which can login and work normally (The Windows version of the computer you are using to create the Windows password reset USB does not matter.)
  • USB stick (Please backup data inside beforehand. All data will be erased when creating the reset disk) or CD/DVD (Need 200MB at least).

New Password Reset Disk create process: (No need to provide any possible password)

1. Choose creation method: USB or CD/DVD.

2. Connect the USB/CD/DVD to your computer. Select one option from [Crate a Live USB] and [Create a Live CD]. Then, select [x64] or [x86] according to your computer. Next, click on [Download Now] to download the licensed ISO. Remember to activate the software beforehand. After that, click on [Create USB] to create the boot media.

Whole password reset process with Renee Passnow does not need to provide any possible password combinations or account information. 

use renee passnow to create usb to reset passnword
How to Reset Windows Vista Password with the New Created Password Reset Disk
Step 1: Boot the target PC from the created password reset USB/CD/DVD.
1. Connect the new password reset disk to the target Windows Vista computer you want to reset password for. 
insert a cd to computer
boot computer from USB disk
2. Enter BIOS setting. 
Please hold a Hot key to enter the BIOS menu.Please click here to find how to change the boot order of your computer brand.

(Can not find your brand? Please refer to your PC manual to find out the method.)

hotkey combination
Change the boot order of the target PC in BIOS.

If the bootable drive is not the first in boot order, your PC will start “normally” (i.e. boot from your hard drive) and will not check other drive.

change boot order in BIOS
After successfully changing the boot order in BIOS, please save the settings and reboot your PC.
Step 2: Select “PassNow!” function after booting from the bootable media you created. 
After loading into main interface, please select the “PassNow!” function.
click on passnow to reset login password
Step 3: Select target Windows Vista system in the list. 
reset password for windows vista
Step 4: Choose the target account then click “Clear Password” to reset its login password.
After reset successfully, please restart your PC. Before restarting the computer, please disconnect the bootable USB/CD from your computer. Then your computer will boot normally.
reset password for windows vista
Also, you can click “Create new account” to make a new administrator with Renee Passnow and then reset the password with this new created administrator.
The new account named “Reneelab” you created with Renee Passnow is enabled with administrator privilege. And the default password is 123456789.
reset password for windows vista

How Renee Passnow Work on Resetting the Password

By modifying the SAM file which saves the related Windows login information, Renee Passnow can reset the login password or create a new account. The modification of the SAM file will be in a professional and logical way to reach the password reset goal. We have test it millions times in different system and devices.
What is SAM file?

SAM, shorts of Security Accounts Manager, is a database file which saves user password in Windows system. It can be used to authenticate local and remote users. This file can be found in windows/system32/config in system disk. However, it is not allowed to change the information inside by computer users who do not have related professional knowledge. Once it has been replaced or modified without professional knowledge, your computer could be corrupted.

Possible Reasons lead to Password Incorrect

Caps Lock is activated

Password is case sensitive. You may activate the Caps Lock carelessly, which could lead you to enter the wrong password.
Solution:
Please pay attention to the Caps Lock when you entering the password. Usually, the notification of “Caps Locks is on” will be shown once you activate the Caps Lock when entering password.
cancel Caps Lock activation

Num Lock is not activated

If your password is combined with numbers and characters, you may be notified the password is not correct if you do not active the Num Lock. Computer will not activate the “Num Lock” automatically when starting.
Solution:
Activate the “Num Lock” manually and re-enter the password.
activte number lock

Common Situation

After trying every possible combination, you are still notified that the password is not correct. However, you do not want to pass through your computer to others because you saved lots of personal files insides.Although they make promise, who knows?
Solution:
You can reset the password with Renee Passnow in 4 simple steps (Please refer to Method 2). Of course, it is much economical when comparing with system reinstall and send the computer to professional.
Renee Passnow is suitable for professionals and newbie. It does not need to make complicated steps like coding or changing CMD command. All you need to do is simple clicks and selection.

Method 3: Use Command Prompt

Explanation of Command Prompt

When it comes to resetting your Windows Vista password, one effective tip is to use Command Prompt. Command Prompt is a tool found within Windows that allows you to interact with your computer’s operating system through a series of command lines. While it may seem intimidating to some, Command Prompt can be a powerful tool when properly utilized.

To use Command Prompt to reset your Windows Vista password, you will need to boot your computer into Safe Mode. Once in Safe Mode, you can open Command Prompt by pressing the Windows key + R on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box. From there, type in “cmd” and click OK. This will open Command Prompt, where you can enter the necessary commands to reset your password.

One of the key benefits of using Command Prompt is its flexibility. There are numerous commands available that can be used to perform various tasks, from managing files and directories to configuring network settings and more. As mentioned earlier, there are a variety of commonly used Command Prompt commands, including chkdsk, copy, ftp, del, format, ping, attrib, net, dir, help, and shutdown.

It’s important to note, however, that executing a Command Prompt command incorrectly can have serious consequences. A misspelled command or incorrect syntax could cause the command to fail or even execute the wrong command entirely. Therefore, it’s recommended that you have a solid understanding of the syntax and structure of Command Prompt commands before attempting to use them.

In addition, it’s also important to exercise caution when using Command Prompt for sensitive tasks like resetting passwords. Always make sure you have a backup of any important data before performing any actions that could potentially cause data loss.

Steps for resetting password with Command Prompt

When it comes to resetting a forgotten Windows Vista password, one effective method is to use Command Prompt. This approach is especially useful when you don’t have administrative privileges, and it involves using a Windows Vista installation disk or a bootable USB drive. In this article, we will delve into the details of Tip 2: Use Command Prompt – Steps for resetting password with Command Prompt.

Step 1: Insert the Windows Vista installation disk or USB drive and boot up your computer. You will need to access the Boot Options menu by pressing a specific key; for instance, on most computers, pressing F12 will bring up a list of boot options.

Step 2: Once the installation screen has loaded, select your language and click “Next.”

Step 3: Click “Repair your computer” on the next screen.

Step 4: In the System Recovery Options window, select “Command Prompt.” This will open up a Command Prompt window on your screen.

Step 5: In the Command Prompt window, type “net user” and press Enter. This will display a list of user accounts that are available on the system.

Step 6: To reset the password for a specific user account, type “net user [username] * ” and press Enter. For example, if you want to reset the password for the user account “John,” you would type “net user John *.”

Step 7: The system will prompt you to enter a new password. Type the new password you want to use and then confirm it by entering it again in the next line.

Step 8: Once you have successfully reset the password, type “exit” and hit Enter to close the command prompt window.

Step 9: Restart your computer, remove the installation disk or USB drive, and log in using the new password you just set.

It’s important to note that the steps outlined above assume that you have physical access to the computer and that you are using the original installation disk or a bootable USB drive. This method should only be used for legitimate purposes and with the appropriate permissions and consent. Remember to write down your new password and keep it in a secure location to avoid forgetting it in the future.

Forgot login password of your Vista computer is not such a big deal now! With this guidance, you can remove Windows Vista password without losing data! Whether you have the pre-created password reset disk or not, you can find perfect solution here! No password reset disk? Download and create a new one by yourself now!