How to Create a Windows 7 Password Reset Disk

Creating a Windows 7 password reset disk is easy and can save a lot of headaches down the road. We show you how in this guide, step by step.

A password reset disk is a small file that’s created by your computer and placed on an external storage device, such as a USB flash or hard drive. Should you forget your Windows password, you can connect your password reset disk and use it to initiate a password reset.

Step 1: Locate a USB Flash Drive or Hard Drive

The first step to create a Windows 7 password reset disk is to locate an external storage device – this will either be a USB flash drive (also called a thumb drive) or USB hard drive. Preferably you’ll use a flash drive because you won’t want to use this storage device for anything but being a password reset disk. If you don’t have a USB flash drive, they can be purchased for a few dollars online or in most stores. Connect your USB storage device to your computer and let Windows install it. Windows will tell you when the installation has completed.

Step 2: Access the Password Reset Disk Wizard

Log into your computer as the user you wish to create the password reset disk for.

The Password Reset Disk wizard is located in the Control Panel. Access the Control Panelby opening the Start menu (click the Windows globe icon in the lower left of your screen or press the Windows key next to your space bar on your keyboard) and clicking Control Panel on the right.

The Control Panel will open in a new window. Once there, change the View By drop-down at the upper right to be Category if it isn’t already. Then click the green link titled User Accounts and Family Safety. On the next screen, click User Accounts. This last screen is where you want to be – click the Create a password reset diskoption on the left side. This will launch the wizard which we’ll follow.

In the password reset disk wizard, click the Next button and then on the following screen, select the USB storage drive you connected.

Enter the password for your user account on the next screen and click the Next button.

This will finish creating the password reset disk which should take less than a minute. Once it’s complete, click the Next button once more and then the Finish button to exit the wizard.

Disconnect your USB storage drive where you created your password reset disk and keep it in a secure place for later use.

Step 3: Using a Windows 7 Password Reset Disk

Using your Windows 7 password reset disk is accomplished from the Windows login screen. Simply type your account password incorrectly and you’ll see an option appear under the password box to Reset your password…. Click this link to start the password recovery wizard. Be sure to connect your USB password reset disk in advance.

Conclusion

We showed you beginning to end how to create a Windows 7 password reset disk. Password reset disks are especially handy to have around should you set up a computer account for someone else who you think forget their password at some point.