Lost Admin Password on Windows 8.1 PC with fake e-mail address

Hello Paula,

Thank you for posting your question on Microsoft community.

I appreciate you for providing details about the issue.

I would suggest you to enable built-in administrator account from command prompt in Windows recovery environment and check if it helps. Please follow these steps:

a. Do one of the following, depending on whether you have installation media (such as a DVD or USB flash drive):

- If you have installation media for Windows, start your computer from the installation media. Insert the DVD or USB flash drive and restart your computer. If you see a message asking you to "Press any key to boot from DVD", do so. If you don’t see the message, you might need to change the boot order in your computer's BIOS settings so that it first starts from the DVD or USB. When you see the "Install Windows" page, click "Repair your computer" to start the Windows recovery environment.

- If you don’t have installation media, use the power button to restart your computer three times. This will start the Windows recovery environment.

b. In the Windows recovery environment, on the "Choose an option" screen, click "Troubleshoot".

c. Click "Advanced options" and then click "Command Prompt".

d. In the command prompt, type the following command and press Enter.

net user administrator /active: yes

This will enable built-in administrator account. Now, you may logon to the built-in administrator account and create a local administrator account.

Please refer this article:
Create a user account
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/create-user-account#create-user-account=windows-8

After creating a new user account, you may logon to that account and disable built-in administrator account. You may type the following command in the command prompt and press Enter.

net user administrator /active: no

Note: Modifying BIOS/ complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) settings incorrectly can cause serious problems that may prevent your computer from booting properly. Microsoft cannot guarantee that any problems resulting from the configuring of BIOS/CMOS settings can be solved. Modifications of the settings are at your own risk.

You may create a bootable Windows 8 media using steps provided in this link.
Refer:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/create-reset-refresh-media

I hope this information helps.

Please do let us know if you need any further assistance.

Thank you

Thanks so much Ratandeed for your help.  I followed this part of your instructions:

If you don’t have installation media, use the power button to restart your computer three times. This will start the Windows recovery environment.

b. In the Windows recovery environment, on the "Choose an option" screen, click "Troubleshoot".
c. Click "Advanced options" and then click "Command Prompt".
d. In the command prompt, type the following command and press Enter.
net user administrator /active: yes

I received a message of  "comand completed successfully" after performing item d.

Next I rebooted and for user accounts to login to it showed me the one my son made that we do not know the password to, and my regular account which has no admin privileges.   I was expecting it to also show me the account Administrator but it did not .

Before I posted on this forum I found a similar command that would show me what user accounts existed.  It showed me Administrator, Guest, the one my son made, and mine.  So I do believe the Administrator account exists, just not sure how to log into it.   If I do get it to allow me to login is there a default password I could try for it?  Thanks again.

Paula

Hello Paula,

Thank you for your response.

I appreciate your time.

You may now try to start your computer in safe mode and check if you see built-in administrator account.

If it appears, please login to the account and follow further steps.

Refer:
Windows Startup Settings (including safe mode)

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/windows-startup-settings-safe-mode

Please keep us updated.

Thank you

My Administrator account is there but it is inactive.  When I do a net user Administrator it shows me the account settings which say No password needed and it is NOT active.  Something very interesting is that last login was 3 days ago at a time where I would have been at work and my son would have been at school.  My  husband is not tech savvy and would have no idea what an  admin account is.

I did this command:

net user Administrator /active:yes

I received an error message, System error 5 I believe, probably because I was not logged in as admin.

I am completely unable to get into safe mode. I have tried pressing down the F8 while rebooting and this does not do it.   Can you please let me know how to get to safe mode in Windows 8.1?  

I spent alot of time trying to do things with the net command like trying to add my regular login to the Administrator group but because I do not have admin privileges nothing seemed to work.  

I am ready to just buy a new computer at this point but will try to get to Safe mode and see if I can do anything there..      Thanks.

Hello Paula,

Thank you for the reply.

I am sorry for late response.

I appreciate your patience.

I do not recommend buying new computer.

I would suggest you to refresh Windows from Windows recovery environment and check.

In Windows recovery environment, after advanced options, you may click refresh and follow on-screen instructions.

Please also refer:
How to refresh, reset, or restore your PC
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/restore-refresh-reset-pc

Note: Apps you installed from websites and DVDs will be removed. Apps that came with your PC and apps you installed from the Windows Store will be reinstalled. Windows puts a list of removed apps on your desktop after refreshing your PC.

Please keep us posted.

Thank you

Thanks for your help.  When I try to refresh I get this message:

The drive where Windows is located is locked.  Please unlock it.

I have never heard of  anything like this.  Please let me know if you have any ideas of how to unlock it.   I am going to look into buying a recovery disk from HP.

Hello Paula,

Thank you for the update.

I appreciate your efforts.

Please refer to suggestions from Vijay B replied on February 25, 2014 and check.
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_8-update/the-drive-where-windows-is-installed-is-locked/9fe0c708-1d03-4cab-8523-e80c9b17e124

Note: While performing chkdsk on the hard drive if any bad sectors are found on the hard drive when chkdsk tries to repair that sector if any data available on that might be lost.

Please keep us informed.

Thank you

Thanks for the link.  I downloaded the program to make the windows recovery cd but you have to be Admin to run it.   I told my son he needs to really think about what he would have made the password.  I am hoping he can remember it.

Hello Paula,

Thank you for responding.

I hope that your son remembers the password.

However, you may also try resetting your password.
Refer:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-live/account-reset-password-forgot-faq

Please keep us updated on the status of the issue.

Thank you