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Valentinasop's avatar
Valentinasop
Silver Contributor
Oct 16, 2025

Forgot Windows 10 password and can't login in my laptop

It is an old Surface laptop and mainly used for app testing. The last time it was opened was a few months ago and I remembered the password was changed to a new one. Currently, I can't login this lap...
TexasOasis's avatar
TexasOasis
Iron Contributor
Oct 16, 2025

The Offline NNT Password & Registry Editor (also known as chnttpw) is a well-known free tool that allows you to reset or remove Windows account passwords by booting into a specialized environment outside of Windows. It’s a powerful option if you forgot Windows 10 password, especially when other methods are unavailable, and it can reset your local account password without losing data.

However, since you specified not wanting to use bootable media or USBs, using this tool typically requires creating a bootable CD or USB, which you've indicated you'd prefer to avoid.

What you need: Another computer and a USB drive.

1. Create the bootable USB and boot from the USB
2. Follow the On-Screen Prompts.
3. The tool will boot into a blue/black text screen.

  • It will ask you to select the Windows partition (drive). It usually highlights the correct one. Press Enter.
  • It will ask for the registry path. The default is [Windows\System32\Config]. Press Enter.
  • At the main menu, type 1 and press Enter for "Password reset [sam]".
  • To list users, type 1 and press Enter. Note your exact username.
  • If forgot Windows 10 password and change the password, type 2, enter your username, and press Enter.
  • At the user menu, to clear/remove the password, type 1 and press Enter.
  • Press ! to go back, then q to quit.
  • CRITICAL: When it asks "Write hive files? (y/n)", you MUST type y and press Enter to save the changes.
  • Confirm again by typing y when it asks "About to write file(s) back! Do it?".

4. Log In: The laptop will reboot. On the login screen, select your user and press Enter with no password. You will be logged in.

What you can do instead:

  • Consider using Safe Mode with Command Prompt (if accessible) to reset your password. Or, if you can access the Advanced Startup Options, you might be able to enable the built-in 
  • Administrator account and reset your password that way.
  • Alternatively, contact HP support for specialized recovery options tailored to your device.

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