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What is the admin password for windows 7?

Red Squirrel

Red Squirrel

No Lifer
I have a windows 7 VM which is used to manage VMware (so I can't do anything that involves turning it off since I need it to see the vmware console) and I'm trying to install VNC but it wont register the service without having to do it as administrator. I don't recall ever being prompted for an admin password during the install otherwise it would have been one of the several passwords I tried.

Does it have a default password that I have to change? What is it? I can't seem to find anything on google, every site just gives me the run around saying I don't need administrator. YES I DO! Regular users don't have access to the things I'm trying to do. Heck, I can't even initiate a reboot as a regular user! Only logout. (at least under RDP).
 
From what I understand, if you left the password blank then there is no password. If there is a password, then you obviously used one and forgot what it was. Good luck. 🙂
 
Have you tried changing it with the chntpw live ISO? Should be quite easy, as a virtual.
 
Can't use a live ISO, since if I boot out of that machine I lose access to the vmware console. I'm running it from THAT vm. I suppose I could setup a separate temp VM though or do it next time I'm in a position to boot out of Linux but have too much stuff open now.
 
it's happened before. i've seen people get locked out for doing absolutely nothing. on mission critical systems, it's good to setup password reset disks even if you know the password will never change and/or we get password bugs on random computers, 1 in 500,000 chances (speculation).
 
In windows 7 the Administrator account is disabled by default.

Go to computer management.
Local users and groups.
Users.

Right click on Administrator, and choose properties. Uncheck "Account is disabled". After enabling the account, set a password.
 
WilliamM2 said:
In windows 7 the Administrator account is disabled by default.

Go to computer management.
Local users and groups.
Users.

Right click on Administrator, and choose properties. Uncheck "Account is disabled". After enabling the account, set a password.
Click to expand...

But in order to do that, it requires Administrator access from your current account, does it not?
 
VirtualLarry said:
But in order to do that, it requires Administrator access from your current account, does it not?
Click to expand...

Or the username and password of an administrative account on the domain, if it's on one.

If not, I'm not sure how he can fix this. I was just explaining why he currently can't get any password to work on the Administrator account.
 
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Hmmm good to know... so what is the proper way to actually enable it? I guess I may not have a choice but have to boot off some kind of rescue CD then... I'll have to setup a temp VM so I can manage VMware from it, so I can do that.
 
You know he is just trying to get the password to a admin account which he does not know the password right?
 
riahc3 said:
You know he is just trying to get the password to a admin account which he does not know the password right?
Click to expand...
Yes. Three posts so far have been pointing to 2 ways to (a) enable the admin account for a home-style setup, and/or (b) get admin access, regardless of what the password is.
 
Cerb said:
Yes. Three posts so far have been pointing to 2 ways to (a) enable the admin account for a home-style setup, and/or (b) get admin access, regardless of what the password is.
Click to expand...
So showing users how to illegal pass a security measure is allowed?

I was not aware. I apologize.

He hasn't replied so I imagine he was able to crac......I mean find/use the password.
 
riahc3 said:
So showing users how to illegal[ly] [by]pass a security measure is allowed?
Click to expand...
Not to my knowledge. However, unless trying to do this on someone else's PC, without being authorized to, I don't see how it would not be perfectly legal.
 
riahc3 said:
So showing users how to illegal pass a security measure is allowed?

I was not aware. I apologize.

He hasn't replied so I imagine he was able to crac......I mean find/use the password.
Click to expand...
He wasn't trying to do anything illegal.

He was trying to recover a virtual machine that he uses for his VMware deployment.
 
This is a brand new install of windows, so no I'm not trying to break into anything. 😛 Seems to me everyone would have to do this at some point if they need to install anything on a new win7 install. Seems odd I was never prompted to setup the admin password during the setup process. Got busy so have not had a chance to try any of these but I will when I get the chance. Only downside is that this is the VM I use to manage VMware, so by turning it off I'll lose console access. I'll have to figure something out. I may just create a secondary management VM. Wish they'd just make a Linux client for Vmware.
 
If it's a new install of Windows 7 Pro, there's some setting that makes it get set up like Home. If it's Home, the real Administrator account is disabled outside of safe mode, and has no password, by default, and the user you set up during setup is an admin.
 
Red Squirrel said:
This is a brand new install of windows, so no I'm not trying to break into anything. 😛 Seems to me everyone would have to do this at some point if they need to install anything on a new win7 install. Seems odd I was never prompted to setup the admin password during the setup process. Got busy so have not had a chance to try any of these but I will when I get the chance. Only downside is that this is the VM I use to manage VMware, so by turning it off I'll lose console access. I'll have to figure something out. I may just create a secondary management VM. Wish they'd just make a Linux client for Vmware.
Click to expand...

Did it prompt you to create a user account at all? That account should have administrative privileges.
 
no default password but something happened, yes. but you never know, maybe you inadvertently highlighted something so try this "new password" or "confirm new password"
 
Cerb said:
If it's a new install of Windows 7 Pro, there's some setting that makes it get set up like Home. If it's Home, the real Administrator account is disabled outside of safe mode, and has no password, by default, and the user you set up during setup is an admin.
Click to expand...

This.

Win7 Home version: new install, the first account you create has admin rights. After which you create additional users and assign Admin rights as needed. The Built In Administrator Account is only accessible when booting into safe mode and has no password by default, although you can set one.

Win7 Pro and Ent: The Built In Local Administrator account is disabled and has no password by default. When you perform a new install, you are prompted to create a user during the initial install and that account has admin rights. You can then go into Admin Tools in CP, Comp Mngmnt and enable the built in administrator account. Just remember to set a password after you enable it.
 
Another thing to add...if you have a windows domain in your environment, you can always add that system to the domain and then the Domain administrator can reset local passwords for the Administrator and user accounts...

I've had to use this to unlock standalone systems in the past that I only had user-level access to.
 
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