How to Reset Windows 7 Password using a Bootable CD/DVD

If you forgot your Windows 7 password and don't have a reset disk or another administrator account, you can use a bootable CD or DVD to reset your password. This process will not delete any of your personal files or data.

Before you begin, you'll need to create a bootable CD or DVD. There are many ways to do this, but we recommend using the free program ImgBurn. Once you've downloaded and installed ImgBurn, open the program and click on the Write image file to disc option.

Click on the browse button and select the ISO file you downloaded earlier. Make sure the correct drive is selected and then click on the Write button.

Once the writing process is complete, you can close ImgBurn and insert the CD or DVD into the locked computer. Boot from the disc and you should see the Windows 7 logo appear on the screen.

Click on the Next button and then select the Repair your computer option.

Click on the Command Prompt option.

At the command prompt, type the following commands:

cd C:\Windows\System32\Config

ren default default.old

ren default.sav default.old

copy default.bak default

exit

Reboot the computer and you should now be able to log in without a password.

If you don't have a Windows 7 installation disc, you can create a bootable USB drive using the Microsoft USB/DVD Download Tool. Once you've downloaded the tool, launch it and select the ISO file you downloaded earlier.

Make sure the correct USB drive is selected and then click on the Begin copying button.

Once the process is complete, you can insert the USB drive into the locked computer and boot from it. The steps from here are the same as if you were using a CD or DVD.

If you're still having trouble resetting your password, we recommend using the Kon-Boot password reset tool. Kon-Boot is a program that allows you to login to a Windows account without knowing the password.

You can download the Kon-Boot program from their website. Once you've downloaded the ZIP file, extract it to a folder on your computer.

Insert a blank USB drive into your computer and then launch the Kon-Boot program. Click on the Browse button and select the USB drive you just inserted.

Make sure the correct drive is selected and then click on the Write to USB button.

Once the process is complete, you can insert the USB drive into the locked computer and boot from it. At the Kon-Boot login screen, you can select the account you want to login to and then click on the OK button.

You should now be logged in and can reset your password from the Control Panel.