Windows 10: Password failure

I have a Dell PC which has accounts for all members of the family - W10
Myself as admin others as users
I don’t use it … as I have my own PC.

Daughter advised me Anti-virus about to expire – went to install new license and it does not accept (or I have forgot) my password.

Is there a way of getting a pwd reset ? ………… when I click pwd reest option on login it asks for a USB drive to be installed ? … no idea why, or what that will lead to.


My daughter still has access OK if that will give me a way to fix this?

It is no big issue if I have to lose my config – all my files are elsewhere, but don’t want to lose daughters files or the W10 license.

:)

 

All attempts to connect to live fail

Just to see what happens, I tried intentionally putting the wrong password, this caused different results. This is NOT a password problem, but a failure once the sync is attempted

 

Bitlocker Recovery Key

Thanks for the advice... I am getting prompted for username and password before the failure

 

You have a local admin account
When a password is created for a local account, a Password Reset Disk should be created. Unfortunately if the password is forgotten or eventually isn't accepted for whatever reason, that's the only way to address your password issue that I know of.
Create Password Reset Disk on USB Flash Drive in Windows 10
Create Password Reset Disk on USB Flash Drive in Windows 10 User Accounts Tutorials

It doesn't sound like this is the case, but do any of the other users have an admin account or a Microsoft account?
--- Just asking because if only one other account is an admin account it would be possible to fix your issue.
There is another possible option but this is very rarely done.
--- Was a Built-in Elevated Administrator Account ever created?

Since your daughter still has access, save all her data in her account on an external hard drive, USB flash drive or other reliable location.

The W10 license will not be affected.

 

You can also use Option 5 of this tutorial to activate the built in administrator to change your password.

When I set up PC and people only want local accounts I always create an Alt Admin as a second set of keys to the car.

Enable or Disable Elevated Administrator account in Windows 10

Once you are back in you might want to look at using a Microsoft Account. You can reset online.


Ken

 

I've got to remember that statement for when I help someone.

 

OPT 5 requires me to boot from recovery drive .... I don't have one .... as my daughter still has access can one be created form her account.
Alternatively I can quickly back up her pics & docs (not that much).... is there an easy way to delete all accounts and then create a new admin account .... I have no install discs , this was an in-place update from W7
Will it impact any working programs installed ?

 

You can create a USB Recovery drive on another computer that has the same bittedness: in today's world I suspect it should be x64.
Forum 4200 Create a Bootable USB Recovery Drive in Windows 10
Create Recovery Drive in Windows 10 Performance Maintenance Tutorials
--- In that case uncheck Back up system files to the recovery drive

I'm not sure you can create a new admin account yet since you can't log-in to Windows with your in-place admin account or Microsoft account.
--- But if you can enable and use an elevated administrator account that will help you move forward.