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I just upgraded my computer to Windows 8. Then I logged on, disconnected it from the domain, and rebooted. Now when the computer boots, I have to log in as Administrator. I cannot change and log in as something else.

The problem is that I don't have the password.. I have tried not typing anything as a password. I cannot get OPHCrack to work either.. It just doesn't boot from the LiveCD. (Others do, but they haven't been free.)

What is the default password of the admin account?

Sathyajith Bhat
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Student of Hogwarts
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1 Answers1

8

There is no default password. The built-in administrator account is disabled by default and must be enabled before use.

You can do this through the command prompt: net user administrator /active:yes

On the off chance that the upgrade/domain actually set a local admin password, you can reset it with net user administrator *, which will then prompt you for a password (or net user administrator <password>, which will not confirm the password).

On Windows 7, this could be done from the DVD based repair mode. On Windows 8? I haven't figured out how yet. However, there is another option that involves giving yourself an elevated command prompt running as SYSTEM on the login screen.

  1. Boot from any other OS that can write to a NTFS drive without issues. There's many Linux Live CDs that can do that, and the Windows DVD works too.

    If you use the Windows DVD, press Shift+F10 to get a command prompt

  2. Figure out which drive the Windows installation sits on. Navigate to \Windows\System32.

  3. Rename Narrator.exe to Narrator.exe.bak (create a backup, so you can restore later)

    If on the Windows DVD, ren Narrator.exe Narrator.exe.bak

  4. Copy cmd.exe and name it Narrator.exe

    If on the Windows DVD, copy cmd.exe Narrator.exe

  5. Boot into the Windows installation. On the login screen, there should be an ease of access panel on the bottom left. You can open 'Narrator' there, which will give you a command prompt running as the SYSTEM user account (above any Administrator account, SYSTEM is a closer equivalent of the *nix root)

  6. You can run the net user commands from here. You could also use the advanced user control panel (control userpasswords2) or the Microsoft Management Console snap-in (lusrmgr.msc).

  7. You should now go delete Narrator.exe and rename Narrator.exe.bak back to Narrator.exe - otherwise you have a gaping hole in your system's security.

Community
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Bob
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  • Aha, so even though it wants me to log in as an administrator, I have to enable it first. Thanks! I'll try that tomorrow! The time is 2 AM here, don't think I can keep my eyes up any longer. (Been struggling for hours..) – Student of Hogwarts Oct 27 '12 at 00:03
  • @StudentofHogwarts Normally, if the login option is visible then the account is already enabled. But that's not normal for a clean installation, though who knows what disconnecting from domain does... Just in case, you can reset the password with `net user ` (or `net user username *` to have it prompt you for password and confirm). – Bob Oct 27 '12 at 00:07
  • I appreciate your help, but when I insert the upgrade DVD, it doesn't give me any options except for upgrading. (When I run it on my other dual-booted OS. It is installed on a VHD, so I cannot access the C drive of my trouble OS...) – Student of Hogwarts Oct 27 '12 at 07:36
  • I tried selecting: "Commandpromt" in the boot-menu, but it required me to log in as one of the accounts on the computer, which is only the Administrator which I don't know the password on... I have no other accounts on it. I thought you could make a new account just by trying to log in with a Microsoft ID.. (Like one could in the TechNet edition.) – Student of Hogwarts Oct 27 '12 at 07:38
  • No, don't! I had Windows 7 on the C: partition. I then installed Windows 8 on a VHD from TechNet. I yesterday, I upgraded Windows 7 to Windows 8, and this is where the Admin problem lies. I just happen to have Windows 8 still, because the Windows 8 upgrade didn't delete the VHD which is located at C:\Windows 8.vhd – Student of Hogwarts Oct 27 '12 at 08:15
  • @StudentofHogwarts Ok, the Windows 8 repair mode is weird. There's an alternate (somewhat hackish) option you can try; give me a second to type it up. And on the topic of creating an account, if it were a clean install you would be prompted to either login to (or create) a Microsoft Account or create a local one. I would not expect to be able to create users when one already exists. – Bob Oct 27 '12 at 08:29
  • @StudentofHogwarts See the edit, I have added an alternative method for Windows 8 (also works on 7/Vista/maybeXP). – Bob Oct 27 '12 at 08:38
  • You're a real bright one! – Student of Hogwarts Oct 27 '12 at 08:48
  • @StudentofHogwarts To clarify what I said a couple of comments ago (*I would not expect to be able to create users when one already exists.*), if a user already exists I'd expect you to need to log in/have Admin privileges to create a new account. This is a PC operating system, not a kiosk at a public location. – Bob Oct 27 '12 at 08:52
  • If it doesn't work now, I'll revert to the Win7 image, and do an upgrade again. Do you know if I will be able to do this, or if I have to buy the upgrade again? – Student of Hogwarts Oct 27 '12 at 08:59
  • @StudentofHogwarts I have no clue, sorry. If you reset the user accounts this way, it should work. Heck, if you can load `lusrmgr.msc`, you could create a new account from there. – Bob Oct 27 '12 at 09:09
  • Thanks for your help. I really appreciate it! I did what you said with Hiren's Boot CD, but it was too late. After trying many external programs to reset the Administrator password (hybrid Linux distros), I finally found one that did not work AT ALL. It made the user accounts corrupt, and now nothing works as it should work anymore. I'll have to try reinstalling and reupgrading.. But again, thanks for your time! – Student of Hogwarts Oct 27 '12 at 09:16
  • @StudentofHogwarts If you are going to that step, then I wish you the best of luck! You could also try a system refresh/reset from the Windows 8 DVD repair screen, before messing around with licences... – Bob Oct 27 '12 at 09:19
  • I didn't think of that. I don't know what you mean by Windows 8 DVD? I made a DVD with the UpgradeHelper.exe (or similar), but it only allows me to do an upgrade. However, since I have a dual-boot setup, I can access all the features you are talking about there.. – Student of Hogwarts Oct 27 '12 at 09:36
  • @StudentofHogwarts I don't know about the upgrade (I'm on the Enterprise Evaluation, and I burned the ISO to a DVD), but I'm referring to [this](http://www.windows7hacker.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Boot-to-Repaire-mode-Windows-8.png) link. Then, under advanced options (this might be directly accessible from the bootloader? I'm still using the Windows 7 one) there's a refresh and reset option. I recommend trying those first. – Bob Oct 27 '12 at 09:40
  • I tried doing this, but it required admin rights of course.. I reverted to an image of Win7, and did a fresh upgrade to Win8. Advice to others reading this: NEVER disconnect from the domain unless you have set up another account. You CANNOT login with a Microsoft account (like I thought) if you haven't set it up on beforehand. You can only do this if it's the first time you do a fresh install.. – Student of Hogwarts Oct 29 '12 at 21:44