chntpw is a Linux utility to (re)set the password of any user that has a valid (local) account on your WinNT or Win2000 system, by modifying the crypted password in the registry's SAM file. You do not need to know the old password to set a new one. It works offline (i.e., you have to shutdown your computer and boot off a linux floppy disk). The bootdisk includes stuff to access NTFS partitions and scripts to glue the whole thing together. This utility works with SYSKEY and includes the option to turn it off. A bootdisk image is provided.
| Tags | Filesystems Security |
|---|---|
| Licenses | BSD Original |
| Operating Systems | Windows Windows Windows |
Recent releases


Release Notes: Only writing back files that have actually changed, fixes for the logic when encountering blank passwords (it was bad, often breaking the password entry and making it impossible to log in), and better floppy drivers.
Recent comments
21 Jun 2008 04:06
Re: Licence is wrong
Unfortunately they used OpenSSL, which is incompatible with the GPL, however I made a patch to let it use libgcrypt. The patch is available in the Debian package.
17 Apr 2007 22:13
Re: Licence is wrong
The author has re-licenced it under the GNU GPL (and ntreg under the LGPL). Yay!
05 Mar 2007 23:47
Licence is wrong
This is not BSD licenced, it is under a non-commercial use only licence, which is non-free.
11 Mar 2004 21:53
Re: it works
where to i click to star the download?
21 Aug 2002 03:58
it works
Yes, it can reset any local account password on my manchines running Window NT 4, and Window 2000 pro.
SYSKey is on be default on W2k, but I can reset password without turn it off.