Locked out of Windows 7

[polidor]

My laptop won't recognise my password. I haven't forgotten it or miss typed it.
Went on to Google and tried many of the suggestions---- press 'escape---F4---F8--make sure cap lock not on' etc. etc.

Am unable to reset password as haven't got a way of doing it!

HELP please.   . Poli.

[matthewj64]

Try this to hopefully activate the admin account, which you should be able to log to in without a password

http://www.lostwindowspassword.com/enable-windows-7-default-administrator-account.html

M

[polidor]

Thanks for replying.

I followed your website advice but no luck.
When I start up the lap top it goes straight to the password screen. Switched off and then on again and pressed F8 either once or rapidly and still only got password request. ??

Poli.

[polidor]

     P.s.  Keeps also saying. "User profile cannot be loaded" Poli

[smudwhisk]

Poli, is this the full message you get when trying to logon - "The User Profile Service failed the logon. User profile cannot be loaded."

If yes, than your account is probably not locked out as such but windows has disabled it in the registry.  Can happen for a number of reasons, even after installing windows updates.

That happened to be my profile in the past and has also happened to other relatives with Win7.  It is fairly easy to fix BUT involves editing the windows registry which has to be done exactly as described or you run the risk of deleting or editing something you shouldn't which can kill windows entirely.  Care needs very much to be taken when doing this.

There is a Microsoft article on this - https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/947215/you-receive-a-the-user-profile-service-failed-the-logon-error-message.  Method 1 is the way I've fixed it in the past but you have to boot into Safe Mode which is done by pressing F8 several times immediately after you power on the PC and before windows starts loading and selecting Safe Mode from the menu that appears.   You will then be able to login with your normal password because in safe mode it doesn't actually load your login profile (ie. how you have your desktop configured, etc).  Methods 2 or 3 won't work because you can't actually login to windows unless you have a separate login ID to do this.

Obviously, try this at your own risk but if you don't feel confident but know someone who is more confident working with PCs, it may be better to work with them.  As I said before, the instructions must be followed and understood completely because otherwise you run the risk of completely killing your windows installation and stopping it from working at all.

[matthewj64]

For Safe Mode, make sure it powers right down (press on the power button for 10 secs or so), then tap away at F8 as soon as you power it on again - hope that works!

[bullet]

This happened to me on numerous occasions.    What I did is type in my password approximately 10 - 15 times in succession....eventually it took it.     Now I've set it so I don't have to use a password to log in.    good luck

[smudwhisk]

This happened to me on numerous occasions.    What I did is type in my password approximately 10 - 15 times in succession....eventually it took it.     Now I've set it so I don't have to use a password to log in.    good luck

Really depends what the full error message says.  If windows has disabled the login profile in the registry as per the link I posted, that won"t work however many times you type in the password.

The OP needs to really post the complete error message they get.

Having no windows password is not not exactly recommended because of lack of security.

[polidor]

Thanks for all replies and suggestions

Will see what I can do. Poli