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I have access to my account through live login and my Windows 10 pin but I need to log in from safe mode to reinstall my video drivers in a clean manner. To access this account in safe mode I would need to use a proper local password.
Between using pins to log into my devices and Microsoft's constant nagging to come up with new convoluted passphrases (I know it all happens in good intent) for the first time in ever I forgot my desktop password. Before I run off with some third party tools to edit my registry or whatnot I would like to ask which files would I loose if I just use the ordinary password reset from the Computer Management Panel.
I read up on EFS a little bit but I couldn't figure out which files does it affect by default running Windows 10 and if it is possible to use built-in programs like Cipher.exe to mitigate data loss.
Lastly would it be advisable to use this built in functionality in this case at all ?
Stygian
Posted 2016-06-07T19:26:12.400
Reputation: 21
What files are encrypted depend on which files you encrypted. If you are using EFS , disable it, then change the password. If you change the password any encrypted files will not be recoverable – Ramhound – 2016-06-07T21:22:07.810
Not using EFS at all just wanted to know if there are any files encrypted by default hat could be lost. – Stygian – 2016-06-07T21:36:32.193
The only files that are encrypted are the files, you the user, encrypt. If you have encrypted files, turn EFS off, then and only then change the password – Ramhound – 2016-06-07T21:37:54.653
@Stygian It's a bitter fact that your data would be rendered unrecoverable (at least not recoverable by common man) if anything was encrypted. But all you need to find out is if there is anything encrypted at all or not. Check this and this
– pun – 2016-06-09T04:49:37.087In the end than reset didn't work and I had to come up with something else. I found a way to resolve this situation without the risk of dataloss. – Stygian – 2016-06-10T10:28:03.923