Windows 10 admin account locked. Reset password gives message "This feature requires removable media, such as USB flash drive". Please help !

Hi,

I am using Windows 10. I could not access my admin account and reset password gives this message "This feature requires removable media, such as USB flash drive ".

I have been using this machine for months and did not change its password. I don't know how come I had this issue. I have same password for the guest account and it worked well.

I have tried "reset password" on guest account and I could successfully recover password since it gives you option to reset password by authenticating via security code on your registered mobile number or email id.

I am not sure why this option is blocked for admin account and why it is asking me to provide removable media to recover password when I had never  used removable media as a password recovery option.

Please help how can I fix this problem.

Thanks !

Hi!

Welcome to our community.
This is Leocadia, independent community expert, and I am glad to assist you today.

Sorry to hear about this inconvenience. We would like to help you promptly.
Could you please try the steps below?

Press windows icon+I to display the Settings charm menu. Click the Power Options icon, then hold down the Shift Key while you click the Restart option. Keep holding shift until the screen says it is restarting. On the first screen that appears, select Troubleshoot, then select Advanced Options. Finally pick Startup Settings and click the Restart Button. On the next screen, press the Number 4 Key to choose Safe Mode. Now that you are in safe mode, you can use the built-in backup Administrator account to perform you necessary recovery. The built in Administrator account should not be used for any other purpose, or it won't be available in situations like this when you need it.

At the login screen, click the Arrow Icon and select the Administrator account. After Safe Mode starts, press windows icon+W and open Control Panel / User Accounts. Select Manage another account and select the account you wish to change to an Administrator account. You can also use the Change Password option here to reset the other account's password. When you're done, restart the computer normally.

Let me know if you need further assistance.

26 people found this reply helpful

·

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn't help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

Hi LeoSeabra,

Thanks a lot for the prompt suggestion.

I have followed all the steps you have mentioned above and now I am in safe mode.

Question : Is built-in administrator back up account present by default in windows ? 

I have only 1 admin account which I had created and this is the one which is blocked right now.

After system booted up in the safe mode, I can see only admin account(which I had created and now I cannot access ) and the guest account. There is no back-up admin account which I had created previously.

Login from admin account is still blocked and access from guest account will not let me change User Account settings.

(Note : I have windows admin account password as a reference noted in my mobile phone as well and I know my password is correct. Surprisingly it does not work :) 

Regards


11 people found this reply helpful

·

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn't help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

Ok, thanks.


Now, we suggest you to try to login to the default administrator account and then delete the corrupt account. Create a new Administrator account.

First, we would suggest you to download the ISO file of Windows 10 from below Microsoft Help Article and create a Media Installation Disk.
Then try to perform the below methods and check if it helps.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-in/software-downlo...
Boot the Computer with the Windows Installation Media:
1. Start (or boot) your computer from the installation media. Insert the DVD or USB flash drive and restart your computer.
2. If you see a message asking you to “Press any key to boot from DVD,” do so.
3. When you see the Install Windows page, tap or click on Repair your computer to start the Windows Recovery Mode.
4. In the Windows Recovery Environment, on the Choose an option screen, tap or click on Troubleshoot.
5. Click on Advanced Options.
6. Then on click on Command Prompt.

We suggest you to enable the default administrator account and try to delete the extra account.

1. Press Windows Key + X Key.

2. Click on Command Prompt(Admin).

3. Type the following command and hit on Enter Key:

net user administrator /active:yes

4. Then type Exit and hit on Enter Key.

4. Then Restart your Computer.

Login to the default administrator.

Default administrator account does not have password.

After login to the default administrator account, please go to the accounts page. Try to create a new user account.

After creating a new admin account. Then disable the default administrator account.

1. Press Windows Key + X Key.

2. Click on Command Prompt(Admin).

3. Type the following command and hit on Enter Key:

net user administrator /active:no

exit

Try to login to the Computer with user name and password.

7 people found this reply helpful

·

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn't help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

Thanks a ton LeoSeaBra for an awesome solution .

It worked !

Have a wonderful day!

Regards

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn't help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

Glad to hear about that!

Get back to us at anytime if you need further assistance.

2 people found this reply helpful

·

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn't help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

 
 

Question Info


Last updated May 17, 2024 Views 43,123 Applies to: