VMware Communities: Password reset in Vista running VMFusion

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12 Replies Last post: Nov 30, 2008 1:51 PM by socalmagpie

Password reset in Vista running VMFusion

Nov 24, 2008 9:03 PM

socalmagpie 6 posts since
Nov 24, 2008

How do you log into Windows Vista on a Mac running VMWare Fusion when you don't know the password? Vista was installed using VMWare Fusion in 9/08. No password was needed to login to Windows Vista. Now in 11/08, after not having used Vista in several weeks (2 months after installation), it is asking me for a password that I did not know that I created. I have tried "*" (no quotes), the VMWare Fusion Easy Install password and several other obvious passwords without luck. Does Vista require you to reset your password every 2 months?

Vista message " The username or password is incorrect" . In trying to reset the password, the password reset wizard asks for a floppy drive when there is no floppy drive on the Mac.

Is there a way to reset the password without re-installing Vista?

Reply Re: Password reset in Vista running VMFusion Nov 24, 2008 11:00 PM

WoodyZ 9,211 posts since
Apr 22, 2004

I've use this and it works: Windows NT/2k/XP/Vista Change Password / Registry Editor / Boot CD

Reply Re: Password reset in Vista running VMFusion Nov 25, 2008 6:13 PM

in response to: WoodyZ

socalmagpie 6 posts since
Nov 24, 2008

Do I use VM Ware Fusion to boot from the XP/Vista Password reset CD and then access the Vista image to change the password? Have you used the password reset disk on a Mac? I understand the directions for the PC, but I'm feel like I'm missing something on the Mac. Thanks.

Reply Re: Password reset in Vista running VMFusion Nov 25, 2008 7:04 PM

in response to: socalmagpie

WoodyZ 9,211 posts since
Apr 22, 2004

This has nothing to do with the Mac other then it being the Host for the Virtual Machine. Just download the http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/cd080802.zip and unzip it and then assign the cd080802.iso file to the Virtual Machines CD/DVD Drive in the Settings for the Virtual Machine and boot the Virtual Machine from the CD/DVD.

Reply Re: Password reset in Vista running VMFusion Nov 26, 2008 5:13 AM

in response to: WoodyZ

Obeechi 437 posts since
Jan 25, 2007

Why does this happen? Is this the result of some Vista update? I don't Vista originally forced people to rotate their password... but it can be turned off.

Reply Re: Password reset in Vista running VMFusion Nov 26, 2008 10:52 PM

in response to: Obeechi

socalmagpie 6 posts since
Nov 24, 2008

I was able to load the cd080802.iso image and boot from the image using VMWare Fusion. The drivers seem to load without error. The problem lies in trying to identify the partition where the Vista software is loaded. In Step One, select partition by number or: a = show all partitions found, lists

Disk /dev/sda: 8589 Mb

Disk /dev/sda: doesn't contain a valid partition table

In trying to select the 1 partition, the program doesn't recognize it and prompts to select the partition by number again. but no numbers are listed when you show all partitions found (e.g. the above example is all data, not 1: /dev/sda: 8589 Mb).

Any clues?

Reply Re: Password reset in Vista running VMFusion Nov 26, 2008 11:26 PM

in response to: socalmagpie

WoodyZ 9,211 posts since
Apr 22, 2004

Archive and attach a copy of the Virtual Machine's .vmx configuration file and the vmware.log file both of which can be found within the Virtual Machine's Package.

BTW When I boot my Vista Virtual Machine with the cd080802.iso image and get to the first prompt it looks like the image below. Attach an image of what you're seeing as well as the files requested.

Reply Re: Password reset in Vista running VMFusion Nov 28, 2008 1:21 PM

in response to: WoodyZ

socalmagpie 6 posts since
Nov 24, 2008

Here are the files requested: vmware.log, .vmx and the screen capture. I appreciate your help.

Attachments:

vmware.log (32.8 K)
PasswordResetDisc.vmx (1.4 K)

Reply Re: Password reset in Vista running VMFusion Nov 28, 2008 1:35 PM

in response to: socalmagpie

WoodyZ 9,211 posts since
Apr 22, 2004

Check your private messages.

Reply Re: Password reset in Vista running VMFusion Nov 28, 2008 6:09 PM

in response to: socalmagpie

WoodyZ 9,211 posts since
Apr 22, 2004

FWIW From the information in the attached files and image it doesn't look like you're actually booting the correct virtual machine and I say this because of the name of the virtual machine as well as the name of the virtual hard drive. I would have expected it to be something like Windows Vista and Windows Vista.vmdk not PasswordResetDisc and PasswordResetDisc.vmdk. Also an 8GB virtual hard drive is a bit on the small side for a Vista install as well as only giving it 256Mb or RAM. So if this is the Vista virtual machine it certainly isn't going to perform well with that small amount of RAM and you will soon run out of disk space because 8 GB is not adequate for Vista and the normal contingent of applications one might install and use under Windows.

Anyway all I can say is you need to be sure you're booting the correct virtual machine and if all that is wrong with it is the password is unknown then you should have no problem with the password reset tool I've linked you to as I and many other here in the forum have not had any problem using it both on virtual machines and or physical machines.

Reply Re: Password reset in Vista running VMFusion Nov 28, 2008 6:43 PM

in response to: WoodyZ

socalmagpie 6 posts since
Nov 24, 2008

I checked "other" on the O/S when installing the PasswordResetDisc under the VMWare Fusion options. Could that be why it is not recognizing the Windows software as a specific device?

The other item of interest is that I allocated 80 Gb of space to the VMWare Fusion program. It is NOT partitioned in Boot Camp.

Reply Re: Password reset in Vista running VMFusion Nov 28, 2008 7:20 PM

in response to: socalmagpie

WoodyZ 9,211 posts since
Apr 22, 2004

socalmagpie wrote:

I checked "other" on the O/S when installing the PasswordResetDisc under the VMWare Fusion options.

You do not install anything or create a virtual machine in order to use the Password Rest Tool!!!

All you need to do is attach the cd080802.iso image to the Vista Virtual Machine's CD/DVD Drive via it's Settings and boot the Vista Virtual Machine from the CD/DVD.

Consult the VMware Help File for how to assign an ISO Image to the CD/DVD of the correct Virtual Machine not one you just created in order to use this tool which is not necessary and probably why you can even see the correct virtual hard drive because as I've already stated it looks like you're not even working with the correct virtual machine bases on the previous attached files and image.

As to booting the Virtual Machine once you've attached it to the correct Virtual Machine you may have some difficulty and you can thank VMware for that because they do not make it easy to boot a CD/DVD/ISO Image after a Virtual Machine is created because the Virtual Machine boots so fast it's difficult to bring up the Boot Menu and you may have to manually edit the target Virtual Machine's .vmx file to either add a delay of change the boot order in the BIOS.

Have a look at my reply in the following thread for additional information that can hel to enable booting from the CD/DVD/ISO Image. You can ignore the first paragraph regarding VMware SCSI Drivers because the password reset tool works as is so you can start reading at "If the Virtual Machine is not booting the CD/DVD or ISO Image then select the CD-ROM from the Boot Menu." Re: Reinstlling Windows

Could that be why it is not recognizing the Windows software as a specific device?

The other item of interest is that I allocated 80 Gb of space to the VMWare Fusion program. It is NOT partitioned in Boot Camp.

Please reread the private message as well as the other replies I have made in this thread.

Reply Re: Password reset in Vista running VMFusion Nov 30, 2008 1:51 PM

in response to: WoodyZ

socalmagpie 6 posts since
Nov 24, 2008

WoodyZ -- My hat is off to you for your persistence and quality of information. My problem is solved. I can boot my virtual Vista image!!

I attached the cd080802.iso image to the Windows Vista Virtual Image. I had to add the bios.forceSetupOnce="TRUE" to the Windows Vista.vmx file to change the BIOS settings. I had to run the Password Reset Disc twice because I didn't write the changes the first time (since the default was no). Your other clue about right clicking on the Windows Vista directory to Show Package Contents was also invaluable. I previously was using the shell to move files into directories readable by Finder.

Thank you SOOO much. It's people like you who help make this computer stuff fun!!

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