Problem with Using chntpw in Ubuntu to reset Windows 7 Password

11.10

35,327

Solution 1

The 0.99.6 version of chntpw is totally disfunctional: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/chntpw/+bug/1046622

I struggled more than a hour to find this out.

Try to use 0.99.5 instead, it works for me:

https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/karmic/i386/chntpw/0.99.5-0+nmu1

Solution 2

I had the same problem. What worked for me was using chntpw to unlock the administrator account, which was the only function of chntpw that worked. Then I booted windows, logged in as Administrator, and cleared the users' password with the users app in control panel.

Solution 3

To change Administrator password: sudo chntpw SAM. To change another users password: sudo chntpw -u <your-username> SAM Please note the Upper-case of the word SAM

35,327

Sandesh Yadav

Updated on September 18, 2022

Comments

Sandesh Yadav almost 2 years
I tried resetting the password of windows 7 Using chntpw command in Ubuntu . It showed success. But when I try to login from Windows it does not seem to be changed.

I first used live USB of Ubuntu 11.10 and did Try Ubuntu. Then I did:
```
sudo apt-get install chntpw
```
And then:
```
cd /media/Vista/Windows/System32/config
sudo chntpw -u username sam
```
I followed these instructions and got success like this:
```
Hives that have changed:
# Name
0 <sam>
Write hive files? (y/n) [n] : y
0 <sam> – OK .
```
But when I try to login to windows with blank password, I could not log in.

I also tried changing the password and showed success but I could not log in with that password.
- RobotHumans almost 12 years
  
  possible duplicate of Usage of chntpw
- Misery about 11 years
  
  Rather use Offline registry editor.
- guntbert about 8 years
  
  Reviewers: when this question was asked, 11.10 was on topic.
Sandesh Yadav almost 12 years

When I tried using upper-case it showed some errors regarding the heive . So I used lowercase . I tried using both sudo chntpw sam and sudo chntpw -u username sam . It shows success also . But when I log in to windows it says incorrect password . Thank you .
belacqua about 11 years

Can you specify the versions you are talking about?
Calmarius over 10 years

How do you type your username if it contains accented letters? It's impossible.
David Edwards about 10 years

Welcome to Ask Ubuntu! Whilst this may theoretically answer the question, it would be preferable to include the essential parts of the answer here, and provide the link for reference.
user267077 about 10 years

There is no problem with the steps that Sandesh did. Only the version of chntpw will make difference. chntpw 0.99.5 works from my side.
David Edwards about 10 years

Then it sounds like your answer is a duplicate of the top-voted answer already here.
palswim over 9 years

1.00 was failing, but 0.99.6 worked.
palswim over 9 years

1.00 seems dysfunctional as well.
Jeff Trull over 7 years

I have the same observation: chntpw (regardless of version) does not work on regular user accounts, but you can use it to unlock the Administrator, after which you can log in that way and change the user account.