Windows 8.1

Anything I can do?

Take it into work saying it was found in the house of known terrorists and you need it unlocking?

🙂 might keep that as a back up option

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/what-do-forget-windows-password#1TC=windows-8

Though I bet you reinstall windows.

How computer savvy are you?

There are a number of programs out there than can help you break into the machine, but it’s usually pretty involved. One method i have used in the past is to create a bootable DVD or Pendrive with the program Knoppix.

In effect, it boots into an Operating System which lives on the RAM. Therefore Windows (and its security) remains untouched, and you’ll have free access to the hard drives. There are also programs within it to help recover lost passwords.

How computer savvy are you

I’m at the Google-it-then-maybe-have-a-bash level

There are various bootable OS’s that can be downloaded that will attempt to brute force the password for an account on Windows, Google it. I’d fire one of those at the laptop and leave it running until it gets the password.

I’m at the Google-it-then-maybe-have-a-bash level

Sounds like most IT professionals I’ve met then

Have you tried a blank password?

How do you mean? Hit enter without typing anything?

Tried going on to my Microsoft account, but apart from the parental controls or monitoring thing there’s nothing there for resetting the password.

Linux is always good for this How To

Is the administration account enabled by default on 8?
If you’ve set one and forgotten it it might be easier to backup any documents from the user account, then do a clean install.

I think that might be the easiest option for me to be honest.

I’m at the Google-it-then-maybe-have-a-bash level

That was pretty much my level of experience when i tried it. There are plenty of guides around, such as this one. I can’t remember which guide exactly i used, but it certainly worked.

Pa55w0rd. It’s always Pa55w0rd.

There are plenty of guides around, such as this one.

That’s for resetting a Linux password.

If it’s not blank, you can reset it with Nordahl’s. https://pogostick.net/~pnh/ntpasswd/

Isn’t your 8.1 linked to your email account so you get a password ‘hint’ reminder?

That’s for resetting a Linux password.

So it is! Sorry, didn’t read it properly.

Ok thanks, I’ll have a look at those suggestions