Warning: Please note that this method of Account Reset can damage your PC if not performed correctly and I have only ever used this method when I have had no other choice of gaining access to recover data. It is much simpler to replace a hard drive and transfer data to a new Windows OS. Do not attempt this method unless you are proficient in using the command prompt and have experience of using Windows OS system level configuration.
You need to create a bootable Windows 10 installer on a USB Drive
This option will use the Media Creation Tool from Microsoft to download an ISO file and create a bootable USB flash drive that is 32-bit, 64-bit, or both, and be used to install Windows 10 with or without UEFI.
This was test using the Media Creation Tool creating a USB for Windows 10 version 1909 build 18363.418 as of November 2019.
Before you begin
Make sure you have:
- An internet connection
- Sufficient data storage available on a different PC, USB or external drive for the download.
- A blank USB with at least 4 GB (32-bit or 64-bit) or 8 GB (both 32-bit and 64-bit) of space if you want to create media.
Read the System Requirements. If you will be installing the operating system for the first time, you will need your Windows Product Key (xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx).
1. Click on the Download button below to go to Microsoft, and click/tap on the Download tool now button at Microsoft’s site.
2. Save the MediaCreationTool.exe file to your desktop, and run it.
3. If prompted by UAC, click/tap on Yes.
4. Click on Accept for the licence terms of the Media Creation Tool.
5. Select Create installation media (USB flash drive, DVD, or ISO file) for another PC, and click on Next.
6. Uncheck the Use the recommended options for this PC box. (If prompted)
7. Select the Language, Edition, and 32-bit (x86), 64-bit (x64), or both (32-bit and 64-bit on same USB) Architecture you want for the ISO file, and click/tap on Next.
8. Select USB flash drive, and click/tap on Next.
9. Connect your USB flash drive, click/tap on the Refresh drive list link, select the USB flash drive, and click/tap on Next.
10. It will now start Downloading Windows 10 and Creating Windows 10 media
Note: If you already have the ISO file you can use Rufus to create a bootable Windows 10 Installer
- To Create Bootable USB Flash Drive for Installing Windows 10 with Legacy BIOS or UEFI (Recommended)
UEFI Requirements:
*64-bit Windows 10 ISO file. 32-bit is not supported.
*At least a 8GB USB flash drive depending on how large the ISO file is.
*To boot from an external UEFI USB flash drive, be sure to temporarily disable Secure Boot and Fast Boot (if applicable) in your UEFI firmware settings until the Windows installation is finished.
- Set Rufus using the settings below, click/tap on Start, and go to step 9 below. (see screenshot below)
- Under Device, select the USB flash drive you want to format and use.
- Under Boot selection, click/tap on the SELECT button, and navigate to and select your 64-bit Windows 10 ISO file.
- Under Image option (if available), select Standard Windows installation.
- Under Partition scheme, select MBR.
- Press the Alt+ E key.
- Under Target system, select BIOS or UEFI.
- Under Volume label, you can enter any name you like for the USB flash drive, or leave the default name. Under File system, select FAT32 (if able). If the file is larger than 4GB, you will only be able to select NTFS. Under Cluster size, select the (Default) (ex: 16 kilobytes) it has listed.
- To Create Bootable UEFI USB Flash Drive for Installing Windows 10 only with UEFI
UEFI Requirements:
*64-bit Windows 10 ISO file. 32-bit is not supported.
*At least a 8GB USB flash drive depending on how large the ISO file is.
*To boot from an external UEFI USB flash drive, be sure to temporarily disable Secure Boot and Fast Boot (if applicable) in your UEFI firmware settings until the Windows installation is finished.
- Set Rufus using the settings below, click/tap on Start, and go to step 9 below. (see screenshot below)
- Under Device, select the USB flash drive you want to format and use.
- Under Boot selection, click/tap on the SELECT button, and navigate to and select your 64-bit Windows 10 ISO file.
- Under Image option (if available), select Standard Windows installation.
- Under Partition scheme, select GPT.
- Under Target system, select UEFI (non CSM).
- Under Volume label, you can enter any name you like for the USB flash drive, or leave the default name. Under File system, select FAT32 (if able). If the file is larger than 4GB, you will only be able to select NTFS. Under Cluster size, select the (Default) (ex: 4096 bytes) it has listed.
- To Create Bootable USB Flash Drive for Installing Windows 10 only with Legacy BIOS (without UEFI)
- Set Rufus using the settings below, click/tap on Start.
- Under Device, select the USB flash drive you want to format and use.
- Under Boot selection, click/tap on the SELECT button, and navigate to and select your 32-bit or 64-bit Windows 10 ISO file.
- Under Image option (if available), select Standard Windows installation.
- Under Partition scheme, select MBR.
- Under Target system, select BIOS (or UEFI-CSM).
- Under Volume label, you can enter any name you like for the USB flash drive, or leave the default name. Under File system, select NTFS.
- Under Cluster size, select the (Default) (ex: 4096 bytes) it has listed.
Creating a new Admin Account to grant access to Windows 10 OS
1. Boot from the Windows 10 Installer USB Drive. Make sure that your PC setup is configured to boot from a DVD and that UEFI and Secure Boot are disabled.
2. Press SHIFT + F10 to open a command prompt.
3. Replace the file utilman.exe with cmd.exe. Before you do this, you should make a copy of utilman.exe so that you can restore it later. Note that you can only restore this file if you boot again from the Windows DVD. Windows 10 is usually installed on drive D: if you boot from a DVD. You can verify this with “dir d:\windows\system32\utilman.exe.” If the system cannot find utilman.exe, try other drive letters.
Copy and insert into the cmd:
move d:\windows\system32\utilman.exe d:\windows\system32\utilman.exe.bak
copy d:\windows\system32\cmd.exe d:\windows\system32\utilman.exe
4. After you have replaced utilman.exe successfully, you can remove the bootable USB and restart your PC/Laptop
5. On the Windows 10 sign-in page, click the Utility Manager icon (Bottom left corner) – Don’t worry about any error messages.
6. You can now add a new user with the command below. We also have to add the user to the administrator group so that we regain full control of our Windows installation. Replace <username> with the account name of your choice. Note that the account name must not exist on this Windows installation. Don’t let the Windows 10 screensaver distract you.
Copy and insert into the cmd:
net user <username> /add
net localgroup administrators <username> /add
This process will add a new user and place them into the administrators group.
7. Click the screen to make the sign-in page appear again. Your new account should show up, and you can sign in without a password.
8. You can now access the files associated with your Microsoft account in the C:\Users folder.
9. If you worked with a local account instead of a Microsoft account, you can reset your password in Computer Management. Right-click the Start button, select Computer Management, and navigate to Local Users and Groups. Right-click your local account and select Set Password.
You can then set a new password for the problematic account. I would suggest backing up all the data on the problematic account then create fresh new Windows OS image to ensure the system works as it should.
David Williams Technical 