How to run a program on startup with admin access from registry, before user logs on

Question

I'm working on a tool that can change the password for an account without having to log in (account recovery). My thought was to put a key that runs a batch file in HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServicesOnce. The batch file would contain net user password. This would all be set up via a WinPE drive (A bootable Windows installation enviornment with access to the registry. However, the RunServicesOnce is not in my registry. In HKLM\Software\Microsoft there is no CurrentVersion path. It needs to work on 64 and 32 bit machines (Windows 10). What is the path to these keys?

I also assumed that putting it in the RunServicesOnce would make it run one time then never again, but from what I've read online it will run every time the computer starts. How is this different than the RunServices entry?

Answer 1

Some inaccuracies in your post:

• The registry keys are common for both 64 and 32 bit Windows

• In HKLM\Software\Microsoft there is no CurrentVersion sub-key, since it is in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion

• The difference between the Once and non-Once keys is that the programs in the Once keys execute before all non-Once programs. Once is a bad name, it should really have been named First or Before.