How to Make a Windows Password Reset Disk
Create a password reset disk in Windows 11, 10, 8 etc., using the Forgotten Password Wizard built-in to Windows. Specific steps may differ based on the operating system version you’re running, but the basic process will be the same. You only need to create a password reset disk for your Windows login password once. No matter how many times you change your password, this disk will always allow you to create a new one. In Windows 11, search for it from the search utility on the taskbar. In Windows 10 and Windows 8, find it via the Power User Menu by pressing Win+X. For Windows 7 and older versions of Windows, select Start and then Control Panel. Windows 8 and Windows 7 users should pick the User Accounts and Family Safety link. Select User Accounts if you’re using Vista or XP. If you’re viewing the Large icons or Small icons view, or the Classic View of Control Panel you won’t see this link. Instead, find and open the User Accounts icon and proceed to Step 4. Windows XP only: You won’t see that link if you’re using XP. Instead, choose your account from the “or pick an account to change” section at the bottom of the User Accounts screen. Then, choose Prevent a forgotten password from the left pane. If you get a “No Drive” warning message, you do not have a floppy disk or USB flash drive connected. You will only see a selection menu here if you have more than one compatible device attached. If you have just one, you’ll be told the drive letter of that device, and that it will be used to create the reset disk. If you’ve already used this floppy disk or flash drive as a different password reset tool for a different user account or computer, you’ll be asked if you want to overwrite the existing disk. See the tip below to learn how to use the same media for multiple password reset disks. While a reset disk will certainly come in handy if you ever forget your password, anyone who possesses this disk will be able to access your Windows account at any time, even if you change your password.
Password Reset Disks for Other User Accounts
A Windows password reset disk is only valid for the user account that it was created for. You can’t create a reset disk for a different user on a different computer, or use one password reset disk on another account that may be on the same computer. Each account you want to protect will have to have its own password reset disk. You can, however, use the same floppy disk or flash drive as the password reset disk on any number of user accounts. When Windows resets a password using the reset disk, it looks for the password backup file (userkey.psw) that’s at the root of the drive, so make sure that you store other reset files in a different folder. For example, you can keep the userkey.psw file for a user called “Amy” in a folder called “Amy Password Reset Disk,” and another one for “Jon” in a separate folder. When it’s time to reset the password for the “Jon” account, just use a different (working) computer to move the PSW file out of the “Jon” folder and into the root of the floppy disk or flash drive so that Windows can read from the right one. It doesn’t matter how many folders you keep password backup files in or how many are on a single disk. However, because you must never change the file name (userkey) or file extension (.psw), they have to be stored in separate folders to avoid a name collision.
Forgotten Passwords and No Recovery Disk Available
If you’ve forgotten your Windows password, you won’t be able to create a password reset disk. There are, however, several things you can do to try to get in. If there are multiple users with accounts on the computer, you could have another user reset the password for you. Try one of several ways to find lost Windows passwords.
