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My brother suddenly passed away and my family is trying to get access to his laptop because he was writer, photographer and we would like to preserve some of his work. He has a HP laptop that is password/passcode protected with a local account and I think it is NOT encrypted. We have no idea what either the password or passcode might be. I've seen software advertised that claims to allow you to remove the password from a Windows OS without losing any data. One of them is called PassFab 4WinKey. I have included a link to their website below. https://www.passfab.net/products/windows-password-recovery.html

Dell's website had a post about gaining access to a Windows 10 OS without knowing the password and they say that you need to reset the computer and loose all the data. "If you do not remember your password hint or security questions, you must reset Windows.This destroys any data, programs, and settings you have on the computer." The link to that post is below. https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-in/000132604/problems-with-windows-10-local-account-password-or-microsoft-account#:~:text=follow%20these%20steps%3A-,At%20the%20desktop%2C%20press%20the%20Windows%20key%20and%20type%20%22sign,leave%20all%20other%20fields%20blank.

Depending where I look I'm seeing conflicting information and I'm just wondering if it even is possible to gain access to a Windows OS system without resetting the computer. I appreciate you taking the time to read this post. Thank you for your help!

CreativeDesign
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1 Answers1

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There are various ways a PC can be password protected:

  • Local account password -- login password exists only on that PC, and can be removed fairly easily without losing data. Disks may or may not encrypted.
  • Online Microsoft (MS) account password -- login password is through MS account, and can be reset with their help. Disks may or may not be encrypted. That said, there may be some legal questions, e.g., having the executor contact MS for permission.
  • File encryption password -- individual files on the disk drive or SSD may be encrypted, such as Zip archives.
  • Full disk encryption -- the entire drive is encrypted, often using the login password to unencrypt the disk.

If the drive is not encrypted, there is no need for a password to access data on the drive. The drive can be accessed by booting the computer from an external device such as a rescue USB or live Ubuntu device, or the drive can be mounted in an external enclosure and used immediately. N.B. Since you've asked this question, it would seem you do not have experience booting an alternative OS, so I'd suggest getting help to avoid data loss.

If the drive and/or individual files are encrypted, it may be difficult or impossible to access data without the password. If locked by a MS account, you'd need to contact MS for help.

While it may be possible for data recovery services or an agency such as the CIA to eventually retrieve data from an encrypted device, it can be a very slow (read: expensive) process.

DrMoishe Pippik
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