How to Reset Lost Admin Password of A Windows 7 VM Running in VMware

I have a Windows 7 VMware image whose admin password is forgotten. How can I reset or recover the password? Or do I need to rebuild a new machine?

If you ever lost your Windows 7 password, that could be a very heart wrenching feeling. Don't Panic! This process works for both physical machines as well as Virtual VMware Images. I'll take you through the steps to reset VMware password:

Step 1: First, download the PCUnlocker program from here and save it on your host machine. The download file is a self-extracting archive which contains an ISO image: pcunlocker.iso.

Step 2: Shut down your Windows 7 VM and attach the PCUnlocker ISO image to the virtual CD/DVD drive.

Step 3: Now you need to change the boot order in BIOS. To make it easier to access the BIOS setup screen, edit the virtual machine's configuration (.vmx) and add or edit one of these options:

bios.forceSetupOnce = "TRUE"

Step 4: When your VM instance boots, you will be in the BIOS. Change the BIOS settings so that your VM Image first boots from the CDROM. Save your changes and exit.

Step 5: During booting, PCUnlocker will start automatically and you'll see a list of system user account. Select the user you want to clear the password and clear (delete) that password.

Step 6: Click on "Restart" button to quit this program and then shut down your VM instance.

Step 7: Edit the *.vmx file again and change: bios.forceSetupOnce = "TRUE" to bios.forceSetupOnce = "FALSE". Save your changes.

Step 8: Restart your VM instance and you can then log back into Windows 7 without a password!

Lost Windows 7 Password? Here’s How to Bypass It

Losing Windows 7 password could be a nightmare that will leave you without access to your system. This could happen out of forgetfulness, the result of idiotic roommates with nothing better to do, or any number of other situations that could result in a total loss of access to your computer. But don't worry! Here we'll show you an easy way to bypass Windows password after you lost your password.
All you really need is a USB drive and another computer to create a PCUnlocker Live USB drive on. In many cases, you can bypass lost Windows 7 password in just a few minutes.

Lost Windows 7 Password? How to Bypass It?

1. First, you are required to create a PCUnlocker Live USB drive from another computer that you have access to. This can be your work PC, or a friend or family member's PC (any PC within your reach). Download the ISO image of PCUnlocker and burn it to your USB drive using ISO2Disc program.
2. Insert the PCUnlocker Live USB into your own machine and boot the computer from it. Before that ensure you have set your BIOS to boot from USB drive. After successfully booting from PCUnlocker Live USB, it will load the operating system that is installed on the USB drive.
3. When the boot process is complete, it will start the PCUnlocker program. This program automatically searches your Windows installations and displays all user accounts existing in Windows SAM registry file. In the list box, you can also find out which user account is password protected, disabled or locked out.
   
4. Choose one of your user accounts and click on "Reset Password" button. The program will bypass your lost Windows 7 password instantly.
5. Restart the computer and disconnect the Live USB. The account that you're trying to regain access to will no longer require a password. Quickly get back into your system without data loss!