Unlock a Win 7 Machine

[Stuart_C]

My Google-fu is weak and I'm having a bit of a brain fail...

As an admin how do I unlock an Win 7 machine that's been locked by another user?

[Steve21]

If you open task manager, can't you right click user and force logoff?

Steve

[FN-GM]

On the lock screen hit CTRL + ALT + DEL then press switch user.

[Stuart_C]

@Steve21 - No Because the Computer's locked
@FN-GM Hmm.. I was worried you might say something like that. I've got the fast user switching disabled/hidden. I don't really want the pupils able to "switch users"

[FN-GM]

@Steve21 - No Because the Computer's locked
@FN-GM Hmm.. I was worried you might say something like that. I've got the fast user switching disabled/hidden. I don't really want the pupils able to "switch users"

Is there a change user button? That might let you put some different credentials in.

[crassus17]

My Google-fu is weak and I'm having a bit of a brain fail...

As an admin how do I unlock an Win 7 machine that's been locked by another user?

Hmm.. Seems like my problem, but I use an alternative way to fix it. I use a bootable CD which includes a password changer software that it erases the password of all accounts associated in a computer upon system startup. I downloaded it from an Internet site, and I'll try to paste the link here.

[Steve21]

@Steve21 - No Because the Computer's locked
"

Got any remote access to it?

Steve

[crassus17]

Try this link. I hope this will help solve the problem, and afterwards, you can make necessary preventive measures and planning.

A@PC: Windows Password Recovery Software. Reset Administrator Password. XP VISTA 2008 2003 2000 NT.

[sukh]

Hi

Can you try to RDP to the Windows 7 machine from another PC on the same subnet?

Sukh

[ictech]

Is this just a machine that has been logged on and then locked ie. "Win+L" or "Ctrl+Alt+Del --> Lock this computer"?

If so, would powering down the machine and powering up again not throw them out?

[Stuart_C]

@ ictech yes. technically but then switching it off is not what I want to be doing to the comptuers.

So taking this a step further, bearing in mind only staff can lock a machine is there any mischief that can be accomplished by the students if I have fast user switching turned on?

[ChrisMiles]

Even if you enable fast user switching you cannot unlock the user's session, the best you could do is log on with another account. There is no way to unlock the session on windows 7. Very annoying. Pretty much all you can do is shutdown/restart the machine or force a log off.

[Ignatius]

How about:

1. Gain a domain admin shell on another PC on the network
2. Run psexec \\RemoteIPAddress cmd.exe
3. Run quser to see the UserNames and IDs of those who are logged on
4. Run logoff <user | ID> to log them off the remote PC

[srochford]

What's wrong with @sukh's idea of RDP? It will warn you that another user is logged on but you can force a log on to the machine and just log off normally.

[Arthur]

There is no way to unlock the session on windows 7.

I've only tested it with XP, but RemoteUnlock.exe enables you to remotely unlock a users session without knowing their password.