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I have forgotten my user password on an old laptop I haven't used for ages I believe I can change this in DOS and have seen seen several videos on youtube on how to do this. In order to do this I have to boot the laptop up in DOS, I have created a bootable USB stick using RUFUS. I have changed the BIOS settings so that the laptop boots up in DOS and it does so.

After booting in DOS I am left in the C root directory. When I perform a dir command I see a number of files (autoexecbat etc) and one directory called Locale. I do not see the Windows directory so I have fallen at the first hurdle. It is as though the Windows directory is hidden from me so I cannot access it. I have tried searching on the www for various ways to un-hide the directory to no avail.

If I restart the PC and let it start up in Safe mode I can see various drivers etc (?) being loaded from the Windows/system32 directory and indeed I am left at the Windows 7 login window but of course I can't go any farther as I've forgotten my password! Would seem to indicate the Windows directory is there - but I cannot see it or access it. Any help appreciated.

martin burley
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  • You cannot recover your password only reset it. In order to do this you must have a Windows 7 ISO. DOS does not exist on Windows 7. It’s not clear what you refer to as DOS. – Ramhound Jun 27 '20 at 20:09

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The C disk you see is that of the boot USB.

Your old C disk is now probably called D or E. Look for it.

harrymc
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  • I think you are right harrymc. I have tried looking for it and have tried every alphabet letter from a>z using the simple (c:\ d, or c:\ e) command but each time I get the response 'Invalid drive specification. In answer to Ramhound, I have created a USB bootable stick using the RUFUS utility (found on the www) - The laptop now boots directly into DOS from this USB stick. I am not referring to Windows 7's DOS lookalike facility in case you thought I was. Martin. – martin burley Jun 28 '20 at 10:52
  • Do it like `dir D:` – harrymc Jun 28 '20 at 10:54
  • Ok Harry. With the computer booted up into Dos from the USB stick the command line is: c:\> I 'add' to that command line to give C:\> dir D: and press the return key. The laptop replies 'Invalid drive specification'. I have tried that with all the alphabet from A>Z - always the same response*? I have a CD in the DVD drive and that is not shown when I try and look for it either? *accept of course when I type c:\> dir C: – martin burley Jun 28 '20 at 11:04
  • Check in the BIOS if the disk exists. If it doesn't exist, then this disk is dead. – harrymc Jun 28 '20 at 11:26
  • With the Hard drive set as the boot 'source' in the laptop BIOS it boots up to the Windows login screen so I assume the HD is basically OK? – martin burley Jun 28 '20 at 11:27
  • Just double checked. In the BIOS BOOT section the HD is shown as "2nd Boot device [HDD:PO-WDC WD3200B]. So looks as though the Bios is correctly identifying the HD? Thanks for your continuing help with this. – martin burley Jun 28 '20 at 11:29
  • Ah, I tried the USB DOS stick in a another good known W7 laptop that I use everyday. It booted up to the DOS stick and behaved in exactly the same manner as when the same USB DOS was in the original laptop, i.e. it would not change to any other disk drive including, obviously, the internal HD.This must be a big clue as to something? Martin. – martin burley Jun 28 '20 at 12:57
  • According to what you say, the BIOS can see the disk but the not the boot USB. That is very strange. Verify the boot USB, but otherwise I suggest you try some of the answers to the post of which yours is duplicate. As this post is closed, I'm not supposed to continue with it. Good luck. – harrymc Jun 28 '20 at 12:58
  • Thank you for your help Harrymc. I did not realise this post is closed. In the end I found this website, followed the instructions and managed to log back in. Martin https://www.top-password.com/knowledge/reset-windows-password-without-cd-usb.html – martin burley Jun 28 '20 at 16:13