I just got a ThinkPad from a relative, and he set up a user account for me, but the admin account is either locked or deactivated, and I have no way of getting the admin password. I've tried using Hiren's Boot CD and the Utilman hack, but those haven't worked. I even attempted a password guessing tool, but nothing's successful, probably due to BitLocker being enabled. I'm looking for suggestions on how I might create or regain access to an admin account on Windows 11 since I don't know much about this computer.
3 Answers
Honestly, it’s not a huge deal since it’s just resetting your own access. If you can't figure out BitLocker or the hacking methods, just giving the machine a fresh start through a reinstall is the simplest way to gain full access.
You might want to try changing Secure Boot settings to either Enabled or Disabled, then boot from an Ophcrack bootable drive. Ophcrack can use rainbow tables to crack NTLM hashed passwords. Just keep in mind you’ll need to bypass BitLocker for this to work. Use the Vista version of the ISO as those old algorithms usually still function on Windows versions from Vista and up.
If the computer is yours now, a straightforward solution is to just reinstall Windows. This will remove all previous accounts, including the old admin one, letting you set up a fresh install with a new admin account. Just make sure to back up any important data if you can access it first.
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