linux - Recovering a Windows 10 password when the partition is read-only

On my new laptop I entered a new password for my account the first time I booted Windows. I no longer remember this password.

The account was just a local account and not a Microsoft account, so I can't recover the password that way.

I am a linux user and have installed Debian alongside Windows. I tried using the 'chntpw' software to change/remove the account password, but when I run the program in the correct folder I get the following error:

root@sam:/media/sda3/Windows/System32/config# chntpw -i SAM
chntpw version 1.00 140201, (c) Petter N Hagen
openHive(SAM) failed: Read-only file system, trying read-only
openHive(): read error: : Read-only file system
chntpw: Unable to open/read a hive, exiting..

I did a bit of googling and found out that Windows 10 has a half-hibernate feature that allows it to boot faster, but requires the partition to be read-only even when Windows has shut down. There is a way to turn this off in the settings, but I can't access the settings as I can't log in!

Is there a way to use chntpw while the partition is locked, or alternatively a way of shutting down Windows so that I can write to the partition?

Answer

Start booting Windows and press F8 during the boot process. Select to discard hibernation data and start Windows normally, then shut it down. That should remove hibernation data and make the partition read-write again.

As a last resort, boot Windows till the password prompt, wait for the HDD to settle down then switch the laptop off with the power button.

Then boot into Debian and try the chntpw trick once more.