How to Reset Password on HP Laptop – Easy Guide

Losing your HP laptop password is frustrating. There are various ways to reset the password and access your laptop. This article covers four ways to change an HP laptop password: using an alternate admin account, altering SAM files, HP Recovery Manager, and a Windows password reset CD.

Preparation:

• Turn on and connect your laptop.
• Access another device or know your Microsoft account password if your laptop is linked to one.
• A minimum 8GB USB flash disc is required.

Reset Windows passwords

• Plug the flash drive into your laptop.
• User Accounts options. Search Windows for “User Accounts” to do this.
• Click “Create a password reset disc” and follow the prompts.
• This creates a USB flash drive password reset disc.

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Alternate Admin Account HP Laptop Password Reset

Preparation:

• Laptop on.
• Know another admin’s password.

Other admin account:

• Login with the secondary admin account’s username and password.
• If credentials are correct, the secondary admin account will be accessible.

Password reset:

• “Control Panel>User Accounts and Family Safety.”
• “User Accounts”>”Manage another account.”
• “Change the password” the account.
• Confirm a password change.
• Save the new password.

New password login:

• Use the password-reset admin account to log in.
• “Sign In” and input the new password.
• Login with the new password.

HP Laptop SAM File Editing

Modifying system files can brick your laptop. Backup your laptop before continuing.

Preparation:

• Start your laptop.
• Windows installation CD or bootable USB device.
• Know the locked admin account username.

Boot the laptop from the installation disc or bootable USB:

• Insert the installation disc or bootable USB into your laptop.
• Boot the laptop and press “ESC” to open the startup menu.
• Select the installation disc or bootable USB device and press “Enter” to boot.

Command Prompt:

• Press “Shift + F10” to launch the Command Prompt after Windows setup.
• “copy c:\windows\system32\config\sam c:” in Command Prompt.
• This copies SAM to your laptop’s root directory.

Edit SAM:

• Command Prompt: “notepad c:\sam”
• Notepad opens the SAM file.
• Find the locked admin account’s username in text.
• Delete the account password hash line.
• Close Notepad.

Replace SAM:

• “copy c:\sam c:\windows\system32\config” on Command Prompt.
• This overwrites the original SAM file.

Reboot:

• Command Prompt: “exit”
• Remove your laptop’s installation disc or bootable USB device.
• Restart the laptop and log in as admin without a password.

Also Read : How to Make Windows 11 Look Like Windows 10

HP Recovery Manager to Reset Laptop Password

Preparation:

• Start your laptop.
• Before losing the password, build HP recovery media such a USB disc.
• Prepare HP recovery media.

HP recovery media:

• HP recovery media into laptop.
• Boot the laptop and press “ESC” to open the startup menu.
• Select HP recovery media and press “Enter” to boot.

Open HP Recovery Manager

Select “System Recovery” after loading the recovery disc.
HP Recovery Manager is accessible via on-screen instructions.

Reset password:

• HP Recovery Manager: “Reset Password.”
• Account password reset instructions are on-screen.
• Confirm a new account password.
• Record and secure the new password.

Reboot:

• After changing the password, restart the laptop and log in.

Reset Windows passwords

• Plug the flash drive into your laptop.
• Accounts. Find “User Accounts” in Windows.
• “Create a password reset disc” and follow the instructions.
• Creates a USB flash drive password reset disc.
• Plug the flash drive into your laptop.
• User Accounts options. Search Windows for “User Accounts” to do this.
• Click “Create a password reset disc” and follow the prompts.
• This creates a USB flash drive password reset disc.

FAQ’s

What if my HP laptop has no other admin account?

HP Recovery Manager, a Windows password reset disc, or altering SAM files may be necessary if you don’t have an additional admin account.

Create a Windows password reset disc?

A USB drive and a computer running the same version of Windows as your HP laptop are needed to make a password reset CD. Open the User Accounts control panel on the working computer, pick the target account, and follow the on-screen steps to generate the password reset CD.

No HP recovery media?

If you don’t have HP recovery discs, use another functional computer to build a set or contact HP help.

SAM editing: safe?

Editing SAM files incorrectly might render your laptop unbootable. Backup your laptop before editing the SAM file. If you are unsure about your capacity to edit system files, use an alternate admin account or HP Recovery Manager to reset the password.

What if none of these techniques reset the password?

If you can’t reset the password using this article’s instructions, contact HP support.

Conclusion

Each of the strategies above has pros and cons, so select the best one for your scenario. An alternative admin account or HP recovery media may be the fastest and easiest option to reset the password. If not, using a Windows password reset DVD or altering SAM files might be complicated and damage your laptop, so be careful and follow the instructions. If nothing works, contact HP support.