How do I Decrypt a Password Flash Drive With Windows Vista Password Recovery?

A password reset disk is a flash drive (or floppy disc) configured with your current password, specially formatted to reset the password on you Windows machine should you ever forget it. When you attempt to log in to your account with a forgotten password, an option to reset the password will appear. The password reset disk acts as a key to unlock the account.

Things You'll Need

• USB flash drive password reset disk

Instructions

1. Insert the USB flash drive password reset disk into an open USB port on your Windows Vista machine.

2. Log out of the computer or restart the computer.

3. Attempt to log into the account you wish to reset the password on. After a failed attempt, an option to reset your password will appear. Click this option to start the Vista Password Recovery wizard.

4. Open the drop-down menu "The password key disk is in the following drive" and select the USB drive containing the USB password reset disk. Click "Next."

5. Enter the new password. Re-enter the new password to confirm. Click "Next" to apply changes and click "Finish" to exit the wizard.

References

• Microsoft: What To Do If You Forget Your Windows Password
• Watching The Net: Create a Password Reset Disk in Windows Vista using a USB Flash Drive