My Aunty got a new laptop for xmas. She’s not very technical. The problem, as she has explained to me, is that she tried entering her gmail password when she first turned it on and it asked for her to create a password. This has now locked the laptop before she’s even used it and she is now unable to boot into Windows. Is there any way of doing a factory reset and starting again? It’s a Dell Inspiron 153531.

I’m not exactly sure what’s happened here, she entered her google password at the Live start and now it won’t let her log in using the same password?

http://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/4-ways-to-crack-or-reset-a-forgotten-windows-xp-administrator-password/

http://pogostick.net/~pnh/ntpasswd/

What kind of password are we talking about, and what’s the OS? You said “new”- I’m assuming Windows 8-?

Is it a bitlocker type of password, has she turned on encryption? So, something popping up immediately on boot?

Was caps lock on the first time she typed it?

Assuming a Windows password and given that it’s a new machine, F8 on boot should give you the boot menu, you’ve probably got a factory restore option on there.

If it’s Something Else, obviously, we’ll need more info.

I’ve now got the machine in front of me. It’s obvious she entered a password and promptly forgot it! It’s running W8. I can get into the set up menu pressing f8 on boot. It’s an InsydeH20 setup utility. There is a boot tab, under which is the option to reset factory defaults, but it’s not selectable. I can do a screenshot it will help.

Yeah, screenshot please. I’m confused; can’t tell if you’re in the BIOS or a Windows boot menu.

It’s an InsydeH20 setup utility.

That’ll be the EFI.

EDIT – as per the screen.

I’d be tempted to disable Secure Boot whilst you’re troubleshooting.

The factory defaults there are the EFI “BIOS” settings, nothing to do with the OS. Did you really get there with F8 and not, say, F2?

Try again, you’re looking for a Windows boot menu.

Peter Nordahl’s boot disc xiphon linked to earlier should work to reset the password too, btw. I was loath to recommend it to someone described as “not very technical” as it can be a bit confusing.

Cool thanks all. I got into the boot menu by restarting it whilst holding shift. This took me to the option of resetting the laptop. Ta

Aha. Groovy.