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  1. #1
    DF VIP Member theodotcom's Avatar
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    Default surface rt password forgotten

    Hi

    After a bit of advice, a friend of mine got his girlfriend a surface rt a couple of years ago, this was set up with just a local account and no backup or anything like that, she hasnt used it in about a year and recently tried to access it as she has photos on it of a family member who passed away recently however she cannot remember the password. he took it to a couple of places who said there is nothing that can be done.

    I've had a look online and it does look that way especially asit is a local account and not a live one, and no backup usb was created.

    Before telling him there is nothing that can be done I thought I would ask on here if there is any way to get into this or even somehow extract the photos stored on it.

    Thanks for any help/advice

  2. #2
    DF VIP Member DJ OD's Avatar
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    Default Re: surface rt password forgotten

    Theoretically there should be a way.

    Do these have have ssd's in them or flash memory? Have u opened it up to look inside?

    I also wonder if u can put it in disk mode and connect to pc to read files. Ssh or similar.

    Also about restore to factory settings and then hang ur hopes on some sort of data recovery software for win rt


    DJ OD

    Thanks to DJ OD

    theodotcom (29th September 2014)  


  3. #3
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    Default Re: surface rt password forgotten

    They are msata SSDs so should be able to remove it and put it in another PC to browse. Otherwise have you tried booting from a live CD of some sort to see if you can access the drive?

    Thanks to beerman

    theodotcom (29th September 2014)  


  4. #4
    DF VIP Member x_Mr_C_x's Avatar
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    Default Re: surface rt password forgotten

    I never had to do it on a Windows 8 RT installation but I would imagine the Locksmith tool from MSDaRT 8 should do the trick if it is a local account.

    Thanks to x_Mr_C_x

    theodotcom (29th September 2014)  


  5. #5
    DF VIP Member theodotcom's Avatar
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    Default Re: surface rt password forgotten

    Thanks for the replies, I did think about what hard drive would be inside but then saw what a nightmare it is to open and also read the the hard drive is encrypted to prevent that sort of thing happening so didnt even attempt to open it.

    Mr_C re the locksmith tool how does this boot, the surface is windows rt so doesnt run all windows stuff, apparently it can boot off a usb though.

    thanks

  6. #6
    DF VIP Member x_Mr_C_x's Avatar
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    Default Re: surface rt password forgotten

    MSDaRT 8 is a bootable CD/USB image from Microsoft that loads the Windows Recovery Environment (The place where you can choose to Refresh and Restore etc.) It adds a bunch of extra tools to the standard recovery environment including the Locksmith tool. I know the Surface RT can run the recovery environment so I would hope the extra tools will also work.

    Thanks to x_Mr_C_x

    theodotcom (30th September 2014)  


  7. #7
    DF VIP Member WRATH OF BOD's Avatar
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    Default Re: surface rt password forgotten

    @ theodotcom did you get this sorted?
    i just did a HP stream 8 inch for somebody, if you dont mind loosing any info on it try hold down volume - Down while holding power button, it will go into repair mode, i did i full factory reset,
    set it back up without a password, it says tap F11 witch will small screen keyboard will appear saying f9 f10 f11 f12, then many options including full reset.

    i did my surface like this
    Step 1: Plug in Surface so that you don’t run out of power during the refresh.
    Step 2: From the Windows sign-in screen, tap or click the Power button in the lower right corner of the sign-in screen.
    Step 3: Press and hold the Shift key.
    (If you're using the on-screen keyboard, tap or click the Shift key.)
    Step 4: While the Shift key is still pressed , tap or click Restart.
    If you get the prompt Restart anyway, tap or click Restart anyway.
    After Surface restarts, the Choose an option screen will display.
    Step 5: Tap or click Troubleshoot.
    Step 6: Tap or click Reset your PC.
    Surface restarts and the Surface logo displays while Windows prepares to reset your Surface.
    Step 7: On the Reset your PC screen, tap or click Next.
    Step 8: Choose either Just remove my files or Fully clean the drive. The option to clean the drive is more secure, but takes much longer.
    For example, if you are recycling your Surface, you should choose to clean the drive. If you are keeping your Surface, you just need to remove your files.
    Step 9: Tap or click Reset.
    Surface restarts and the Surface logo displays while the reset process completes (this can take several minutes).

    Sent By Brick Wrapped In Paper Thrown Through The Window..........

    4 Thanks given to WRATH OF BOD

    DJ OD (9th January 2015),  EvilBoB (6th February 2015),  Smart86 (10th February 2015),  theodotcom (10th February 2015)  


  8. #8
    DF Member Smart86's Avatar
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    Default Re: surface rt password forgotten

    Wow ! thanks for this tutor WOB. I just realize how important it is to have a password recovery usb set up drive .
    Last edited by Smart86; 10th February 2015 at 12:53 AM.

  9. #9
    DF VIP Member DJ OD's Avatar
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    Default Re: surface rt password forgotten

    Meant to ask before, will this resort back to windows rt 8.0 or rt 8.1?


    DJ OD

  10. #10
    DF VIP Member WRATH OF BOD's Avatar
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    Default Re: surface rt password forgotten

    Quote Originally Posted by DJ Overdose View Post
    Meant to ask before, will this resort back to windows rt 8.0 or rt 8.1?


    DJ OD
    my RT reset was withl 8.1. i didnt need to upgrade o/s

  11. #11
    DF VIP Member DJ OD's Avatar
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    Default Re: surface rt password forgotten

    Was that the version you had when you bought it?


    DJ OD

  12. #12
    DF VIP Member WRATH OF BOD's Avatar
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    Default Re: surface rt password forgotten

    Quote Originally Posted by DJ Overdose View Post
    Was that the version you had when you bought it?


    DJ OD
    bought with 8.1 & office 365

  13. #13
    DF VIP Member DJ OD's Avatar
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    Default Re: surface rt password forgotten

    Ah okay. Just wondering if the upgrade procedure updates the original restore image of not. Probably doesn't, so maybe a method to downgrade if u want to jailbreak. But only if originally was on 8.0


    DJ OD

  14. #14
    DF VIP Member theodotcom's Avatar
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    Default Re: surface rt password forgotten

    hi, just seen these updates, no never got it sorted, it was a friend who gave it to me to try and sort it out, I gave it back to him and havent thought about it since

    he also asked in a couple of shops and was always advised the only way would be to lose all the data, the issue was there were photos that they wanted off it.

  15. #15
    DF Member Smart86's Avatar
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    Default Re: surface rt password forgotten

    You would think MS would of had it were you could boot a live OS from a usb flash stick for cases like this since you can use the usb port with a usb flash stick to do the recovery process

  16. #16
    DF VIP Member DJ OD's Avatar
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    Default Re: surface rt password forgotten

    Not with a tablet I wouldn't. This would be a deliberate security feature on their part. One that's actually pretty smart for a change. Going forward the same on laptops would be a good idea as well, apart from the fact most hard drives can be removed from them if stolen.


    DJ OD

  17. #17
    DF Member Smart86's Avatar
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    Default Re: surface rt password forgotten

    True enough. You know a lot of these new laptops you can't take the HDD out even the battery to . I seen many were the cover on the back is covering the whole unit now . There are still some you can but not many

  18. #18
    DF VIP Member theodotcom's Avatar
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    Default Re: surface rt password forgotten

    I think it's quite a good thing, shows how secure they are, they do advise making a usb tool when you start but i guess people just ignore that thinking they will do it later. if there was a way to recover data when a password was forgotten with no live account to recover it anyone could extract data from it easily. Think they've done a good job with these surface devices.

  19. #19
    DF VIP Member DJ OD's Avatar
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    Default Re: surface rt password forgotten

    TBH the only thing that bugs me with my surface 2 is the apps are generally shit. Written by two-bit wannbe programmers who charge too much for an app that would normally be free on another platform.

    The majority of stolen laptops are corporate ones. If said corporation is smart enough they would use hard drive encryption which like bitlocker, which when set up right is impossible to get around. Personal laptops rarely leave the home... Manufacturers are smart enough to realise locking down their laptop so it cant be upgraded is not a good selling point, and also that you want the laptop to be actually replaced at some point. Its a fine balance for them, which they have about right now.

    As I said im happy with my surface 2. And happy knowing if it gets lost or stolen no one can get my stuff off it.


    DJ OD

  20. #20
    DF VIP Member doughboy's Avatar
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    Default Re: surface rt password forgotten

    So is 8RT totally different from a normal windows 8 install on a pc?

    I only ask cos I was given a laptop to put from win8 to win7 and had to backup all the files.

    I used konboot usb.

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