Windows 7 Password Reset

Hello. I purchased Parallels for my Mac so I could run Windows 7 on it. I forgot my Windows 7 password and I am now locked out. I've searched the web for how to reset the password, but they don't seem to work because I'm running W7 via Parallels and not as a stand alone machine. So how do I reset in Parallels?

I did try to boot in safe mode, but that did not work. W7 simply wants a password or nothing. Thanks for your help.

 

Hi all please try the following steps to reset Windows password



1. Start your virtual machine;
1. Open Terminal application (Finder > Applications > Utilities > Terminal);
2. Copy the following command, past it into Terminal window and press Return:

prlctl list --all

The output should look like the following:

UUID STATUS IP_ADDR NAME
{3e21f02b-9d52-4ebe-a079-675dc822d723} running - Windows 7

3. Copy the following, past it into Terminal window and add space

prlctl set

4. Copy the UUID from the output of the previous command (e21f02b-9d52-4ebe-a079-675dc822d723 in the example) and past it at the end of the "prlctl set" command (do not forget that there should be a space between "set" and UUID number), then add space, type the following and add one more space:

--userpasswd

Right now you will have something like:

prlctl set 3e21f02b-9d52-4ebe-a079-675dc822d723 --userpasswd

5. Add username (your Windows user account name), colon, and a new password (do not add space between username, colon and password). Please see the example below:

prlctl set 3e21f02b-9d52-4ebe-a079-675dc822d723 --userpasswd yourWindowsUsername:123

6. Press Return. You should see the following:

authentication tokens updated successfully.

You can now login to your Windows user account using the specified password.

 

anamareddyj's solution worked perfectly for me (thanks!) - I did it remotely via ssh on my girlfriend's computer (she forgot her Windows 7 password), and it was quick and easy. If you try this, just make sure that the user who runs the terminal commands in anamareddyj's post has admin/root privileges.

 

Parallels 7 upgrade password problems

Nice; worked perfectly. Don't know why my passwords (nor the Administrator password nor the user password) where no more recognized after upgrading to Parallels 7 (Windows 7, under Lion). After the reset following your procedure, passwords where recognized provided they were given in QWERTY (with a French keyboard on the Mac side).
Afterwards, I could change the passwords in the Windows 7 environment to get my usual password as typed using the French Keyboard.
BTW I didn't have problems with a Windows XP Virtual machine

 

This did the trick for me by using the terminal program.

Just follow along just as anamareddyj has outlined in his post and you can reset your password without having to pay for another program such as others are suggesting.

If you do as some of the others are requesting, you need to buy a third party app. Have another windows machine to assist you in the setup and burn that program to a CD or install it onto a USB drive.

If you had another windows machine to accomplish what the others are suggesting (which I do Not) that would be nice, but it would still cost you about $20.00 just the same.

Why purchase something you can do on your Mac for free? The Terminal application on the Mac is FREE and does the trick rather nicely.

I'd rate anamareddyj suggestion as Excellent, because it worked for me and it didn't cost me a dime. Thanks.

 

It looked like the perfect solution for my problem but unfortunately i cannot get into the virtual machine by using the terminal. I get the message: Unable to open new session in this virtual machine. Make sure the latest version of Parallels Tools is installed in this virtual machine and it has finished booting.
Failed to configure the virtual machine.

I'm running the latest version of Parallels Tools (or at least i think i do, there are no updates to install) and the virtual machine is booted....

Perhaps i'm missing something....

Thanks in advance...

 

This has been an absolute life saver. Anamareddyj, I can't thank you enough.

 

This seems to be working well, until I get to the last step. When I press "Return," I get this message:

"Unable to open new session in this virtual machine. Make sure the latest version of Parallels Tools is installed in this virtual machine and it has finished booting.
Failed to configure the virtual machine."

To give additional information, I am redirected to the "System Recovery" prompt whenever I start up Windows. I'm trying to get to the "System Recover Options" to access the "Command Prompt," but I am confronted by the "Administrator" log in with a password that I do not know at all.

If you can help, please let me know. Thank you!

 

life saver !!!!!!!!!!!

 

Lifesaver for sure! You guys are geniuses!

 

It is not working for me. I posted exactly what was listed and I keep getting message Virtual machine 'Windows 7' is encrypted - password required to continue operation

 

Please help. It is not working. When I enter all info I am getting message
Virtual machine 'Windows 7' is encrypted - password required to continue operation
Please enter password:
It will not allow me to enter a password so if I hit enter I get this message
Failed to authorise current session against virtual machine. Error: The password you specified is invalid. Please check the password you typed for the "Windows 7" virtual machine and try again.

 

Make sure that you have the spaces and everything where it is supposed to be and double check this. I did and it worked perfectly.

 

Hi!

my dear friend fristally put the cd in your machine after use the following step than you can unlock your system .
1. Insert the installation disk to your locked computer, restart. When following interface appears. CllickRepair your computer.
2. A dialog with several options pops up, click Command Prompt.
3. When a Command Prompt black screen appears, type "copy c:\windows\system32\sethc.exe" and press Enter. Then type "copy c:\windows\system32\cmd.exe c:\windows\system32\sethc.exe" afterwards press Enter key.
4. Restart your computer. On the login screen, tap Shift key five times and you'll see a command prompt screen in administrator mode. OK, type "net user UserName NewPassword" (replace the UserName and UserPassword with which you wanna) and press Enter key. The user password will be replaced with new one. Close the window and then you can login your laptop Windows 7 with new password.

Tip two: Reset Windows 7 password with CMD

1. Logon you laptop with another user account which has admin privileges.

2. Click Start, type in "CMD.EXE" in the search box, press Enter.

3. Cammand screen apears, type in "net user" "user name" " new password", press Enter.

The user account password will be replace as the new one.

Tip three: Recover Windows 7 password with a Windows password recovery tool.

This method requires you to load a Windows 7 password recovery program.

1. Install the program on another computer and create a password recovery disk with USB

2. Insert the disk to your laptop and set your laptop to boot from it.

3. All user accounts will be loaded, then you can reset any user password.

If you want to read more details: How to Recover Windows 7 Password without losing data.

 

Absolute magic!!!

Work like a charm!!! Was worried that as i was working with a virtual machine, i wouldn´t be able to use something like OPHCrack that I have used in the past, but this was awesome!!!
A few lines in Terminal and done, this has saved my life today!!

 

Still stumped

Not doing so good here

I copied my version of this:

UUID STATUS IP_ADDR NAME
{3e21f02b-9d52-4ebe-a079-675dc822d723}

But then you say:
4. Copy the UUID from the output of the previous command
(e21f02b-9d52-4ebe-a079-675dc822d723 in the example)

Is the "e" above a typo?

Do I use the brackets?

Also, I don't remember making a Windows password!

Is this Parallels or MS?

Here's my UUID
UUID STATUS IP_ADDR NAME
{b9675ad1-22be-418e-b8a1-19f62e204f01} running - Windows 7

 

Solved

I found another thread here that did the trick

Leave the password field blank and fill in the new password fields

Worked for me

Of course I now I have a Password for Windows 7 that I never wanted in the first place!

But how did this get here in the first place? Parallels 8 upgrade??

 

I am having the same problem and do not know how to resolve it.

 

Dunno if you caught my post:

I found another thread here that did the trick

Leave the password field blank and fill in the new password fields

Worked for me

 

password resets

I saw that but it is too cryptic. Can you flesh out the instructions more?