Does using the reset option in windows 10 remove all user accounts?

Question

A client forgot his wondows 10 password and doesn't mind loosing his files. I was wondering if using the reset this PC option and choosing to remove all files will remove all user accounts. I have never used this option before and a complete format would waste a lot of time.

Answer 1

This was a perfect example of an XY problem.

You asked how to remove all Windows user accounts, when really, all you were trying to do was allow a user to use their PC again after they forgot their password.

So the real question here was simply, "How can I reset a user's password in Windows 10?"

It's actually very straightforward:

1. Download ophcrack
2. Create a bootable ophcrack optical disc or USB drive
3. Reboot the target PC and select the bootable media as the boot drive
4. Use ophcrack to perform an offline attack (i.e. outside of Windows) and reset the user's password stored in the SAM file
5. Reboot and confirm the user is now able to log in to his account using his new password

Once you have the disc created, the actual password reset procedure only takes around five minutes.

Answer 2

Win + R brings up run box then type netplwiz when it pops up uncheck users must enter password when signing in and you will be able to access the desktop and update whatever info I know it's a few years after this posting but I had a similar issue this option worked in less then 7 mins, I figured I'd share in case someone else runs into the same problem

Answer 3

I used the option... It completely wiped the system clean and I had to create a completely new user account, passwords and find all drivers from scratch. Nothing from the old OS was left.