[SOLVED] How to backup a Laptop when you dont know the password

[yaggaz]

So a neighbour's wife passed away recently, and he doesn't want the laptop so is selling it to my other neighbour who's a close friend. Neither know the password the deceased wife use, as he's really old and a complete Luddite.

He would like the data backed up so his daughter can go through it later and salvage anything. So can I backup the data and then do a fresh reinstall of Windows 10 or do you still need the password to backup the date before the fresh reinstall? Thanks.

 

[USAFRet]

Backing up the drive is one thing.

Accessing the password protected data is quite another.

And we here absolutely cannot assist with the password aspect.

 

[yaggaz]

Backing up the drive is one thing.

Accessing the password protected data is quite another.

And we here absolutely cannot assist with the password aspect.

Okay if that's not possible you can format/reinstall Windows 10 on the laptop if you don't know the password right?

 

[USAFRet]

Okay if that's not possible you can format/reinstall Windows 10 on the laptop if you don't know the password right?

Yes,assuming it is not the BIOS password.

How To - Windows 10 clean install tutorial

If you are looking for the Windows 11 Clean install tutorial, you can find that here: Windows 11 Clean install tutorial (Click here) Otherwise, welcome to the Windows 10 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows...

forums.tomshardware.com

See section II, Step 6 & 7

 

[Alabalcho]

A new SSD drive can be found these days for $50. Just pull out the old drive, put in the new one, reinstall Windows, and hand it over to your friend. If the old drive was not BitLocker'ed, you can still access its contents.

 

[punkncat]

The password issue will remain due to access privilege.

Old dude probably needs to (hope and) take a look through some of passed on wife's notebooks and see if it was written down somewhere or if he can guess.

Best option for the machine itself is as stated above, a new drive and re-install of same OS, if possible.