Creating a Password Reset Disk in Microsoft Windows Vista

Resetting Your Password Using the Password Reset Disk

A password reset disk allows you to access your account on a local computer by resetting the password in the event that the password is forgotten. When you create the password reset disk, it allows you to reset your password no matter how many times you have changed the password.

Requirements for Creating a Password Reset Disk

To create a password reset disk, you need either:

• a USB flash drive
  
  OR

• a floppy drive and a floppy disk
  
  

  Note: You cannot create a reset disk using CD or DVD media.

Create the Password Reset Disk

1. Click   and then click Control Panel.
   

2. Click User Accounts and Family Safety.
   
   

   Note: If your Control Panel is using the Classic View, skip to the next step.

3. Click User Accounts.

4. Insert either a USB flash drive or a floppy disk.
   
   

5. Click Create a password reset disk in the left pane.

6. When the Forgotten Password Wizard appears, click Next.
   
   
   
   
   
   

7. Select the drive in which you want to store your password, and then click Next.
   
   

8. In the Current User Account Password field, type your current password, and then click Next.

9. When the Progress bar reaches 100%, click Next, and then click Finish.
   
   
   
   

10. When the password reset disk has been created, remove the disk and store it in a safe location.
    
    

    Note: Anyone can use this disk to access your account on this computer, so it is important that you store the disk in a secure but accessible location.

For information about using a password reset disk to reset a forgotten password, please refer to the following Microsoft web site: Reset your Windows password.

References