Can't create password reset disk.

[Guest]

Before I create a password, I was warned to create a Password Reset Disk by
the Windows Vista OS. However, when I follow the instructions, the utility
doesn't recognize the internal CD burner. It sees other drives but not the
one I need.

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[Ronnie Vernon MVP]

According to the Vista help file, you should be able to use a CD as a
password reset disk, however it does not work? This is either a bug or a
mistake in the help file.

You need to use either a floppy disk or a USB drive (flash drive).

 

[Guest]

Thank you. I had some time earlier today and called the Microsoft support
line (free because I'm within 90 days of Vista install). The tech support
person said that he only really knew of floppies being supported for this
purpose but said I shouldn't have a problem if I forego the reset disk and am
careful with my password. I decided to follow his advice. I did think it
weird that all that was supported for sure was obsolete floppies though.

Thanks again.

 

[Ronnie Vernon MVP]

That really is not good advice, especially from a support person. Things
happen that you have no control over, such as disk failure or corruption
that can cause problems with a password.

Please create the reset disk, use a floppy or a USB stick.

 

[Paul Randall]

I've created a password reset "disk" two times and played with the results.
I think I know how it works, but I'd like your feedback as to whether this
is really how it is.

1) When you create this password reset "disk", all you are doing is
creating a file named userkey.psw in the root of that media.
2) You can copy that userkey.psw file to the root of any other removable
media and your computer will successfully use that file if the media can be
detected by the OS.
3) If userkey.psw is in a folder, it can not be used to reset the password.
4) If at any time you think that your userkey.psw is in the wrong hands, you
can create a new password reset "disk", which voids any previous userkey.psw
files.
5) If you step away from your computer for a minute, someone else can create
a new password reset "disk", thus locking out the most recent userkey.psw
you created. Depending on the jokers in your environment, you may want to
make a new password reset disk periodically.

-Paul Randall

 

[Ronnie Vernon MVP]

Paul

Yes, this is the way it works.

Creating a new password reset disk has to be combined with changing the
password before the new disk is created.

 

[Paul Randall]

Thanks for validating my view of password recovery disks.

I think you are wrong about having to change the password before the second
password reset disk is created. I just ghosted my hard drive back to 'out
of the box' condition and booted the preinstalled Vista 'for the first
time'. Once the system was up and running, I created a new password reset
disk twice. Both times, it required me to enter the account's password
before it would allow me to create the reset disk. It did not require my
changing the password. It was only when I later pretended to have forgotten
the password and used the password reset disk thatI was required to enter a
new password.

So my item 5was wrong in that if you step away from your computer, the joker would have
to know your current password, or have access to the current userkey.psw
file, in order to lock you out of your computer or disable what you thought
was a good password recovery disk. I don't see any way for the joker to
learn you current password during the password reset process, but the
account's true owner would not know about the joke until the next time he
has to enter the password.

Maybe I should add item 6
6) It is not necessary to make a new password recovery disk after you change
passwords. It remains valid for that account until a new password recovery
disk is made.

-Paul Randall

 

[123]

Before I create a password, I was warned to create a Password Reset Disk by
the Windows Vista OS. However, when I follow the instructions, the utility
doesn't recognize the internal CD burner. It sees other drives but not the
one I need.

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[David Mayerovitch]

I have the same problem. I have some people at Dell tech support working on
this. If they come up with an answer I'll post it here.

David

 

[David Mayerovitch]

Paul, you said:

"2) You can copy that userkey.psw file to the root of any other removable
media and your computer will successfully use that file if the media can be
detected by the OS."

I have tried this. I created the userkey.psw file on a USB stick, then
copied it to a CD-R. But when I inserted the CD-R in a test attempt to reset
the password, Vista would not recognize the CD-R as a potential source of
the reset file. Did you try this with a CD?

I wonder if the exclusion of CDs from this process is by design or by bug.
CD would certainly be the most useful medium for a password reset file,
because you can hide it in a secure place. You could hide a USB key, but who
wants to waste that relatively costly unit for such a purpose -- especially
since you need a separate unit for each account you might want to get into?
And floppy disks? Oh, sure.

David

 

[David Mayerovitch]

A way to get around the no-CD limitation is to create the userkey.psw file
on a USB stick and move it to a CD for secure storage. For safety you would
want to delete it from the USB. Then if you need to reset the password, you
can copy the file onto any USB stick and reset the password using that. Of
course, in order to make this copy you need a functioning computer with at
least one account that you have access to.

David