Problem with Using chntpw in Ubuntu to reset Windows 7 Password

Question

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.

Reviewers: when this question was asked, 11.10 was on topic. — guntbert, Jun 05 '16 at 11:38

score 8 · Answer 1 · answered Oct 02 '13 at 21:49

8

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

answered Oct 02 '13 at 21:49

Calmarius

908

1.00 seems dysfunctional as well. – palswim Dec 05 '14 at 21:42

score 2 · Answer 2 · edited Feb 25 '14 at 21:05

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.

edited Feb 25 '14 at 21:05

Adaephon

4,891

answered Feb 25 '14 at 20:39

hexdude24

21
1

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. – Jeff Trull Oct 09 '16 at 03:08

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Jul 11 '12 at 07:20

1

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

answered Jul 11 '12 at 07:20

koni_raid

3,310

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 . – Sandesh Yadav Jul 11 '12 at 07:53
How do you type your username if it contains accented letters? It's impossible. – Calmarius Oct 02 '13 at 20:38

score 0 · Answer 4 · edited Jun 15 '13 at 00:39

0

The new version of chntpw doesn't work with windows 7. You have to go back a version.

edited Jun 15 '13 at 00:39

belacqua

23,120

answered Mar 01 '13 at 20:25

ICMan

1

3

Can you specify the versions you are talking about? – belacqua Jun 15 '13 at 00:40
1.00 was failing, but 0.99.6 worked. – palswim Dec 05 '14 at 21:42

score -1 · Answer 5 · answered Apr 09 '14 at 13:37

-1

I am using Ubuntu 12 and chntpw 0.99.5. I have successfully reset my forgotten password by following this guide. If there are multiply Windows systems installed on your hard drive, make sure you choose the desired SAM database.

answered Apr 09 '14 at 13:37

user267077

1

1

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. – David Edwards Apr 09 '14 at 15:41
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. – user267077 Apr 10 '14 at 06:22
1

Then it sounds like your answer is a duplicate of the top-voted answer already here. – David Edwards Apr 10 '14 at 10:45

Problem with Using chntpw in Ubuntu to reset Windows 7 Password

5 Answers5

Linked

Related