How to change / reset lost or forgot TightVNC administrator password

Tuesday, 24th May 2011

how-to-change-reset-lost-TightVNC-administrator-password

I have installed TightVNC to a Windows host just a few weeks ago in order to be able to manage remotely a Windows host and forgot to write down the administrator password 🙂 (stoopid!)

I had to explain to a friend remotely how to change the TightVNC admin password and it was a complete nightmare!

Shortly here is the exact menus one who wants to reset the password of a TigthVNC server after forgotten:

Start -> All Programs -> TightVNC
-> TightVNC Server (Service Mode) ->
TightVNC Service - Offline Configuration.

In the configuration dialog to popup there are the Server and Administration tabs through which a new password can be set.

After the password is change either a restart of the TightVNC server is necessery or a restart of the Windows PC.

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25 Responses to “How to change / reset lost or forgot TightVNC administrator password”

  1. Xue says:
    Google Chrome 12.0.742.112 Google Chrome 12.0.742.112 Windows 7 x64 Edition Windows 7 x64 Edition
    Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; WOW64) AppleWebKit/534.30 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/12.0.742.112 Safari/534.30

    This helped me with my vnc. Thanks!

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    • admin says:
      Epiphany 2.30.6 Epiphany 2.30.6 Debian GNU/Linux x64 Debian GNU/Linux x64
      Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux x86_64; en-us) AppleWebKit/531.2+ (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0 Safari/531.2+ Debian/squeeze (2.30.6-1) Epiphany/2.30.6

      Great I’m glad it helped ! 🙂

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  2. Ganesan K says:
    Firefox 5.0 Firefox 5.0 Windows XP Windows XP
    Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 5.1; rv:5.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/5.0

    Thanks buddy, timely helped this article while search on the Google.. Please keep posted

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  3. Friend says:
    Firefox 8.0 Firefox 8.0 Windows 7 x64 Edition Windows 7 x64 Edition
    Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; WOW64; rv:8.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/8.0

    Thanks a lot!!

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  4. Jazz says:
    Firefox 9.0.1 Firefox 9.0.1 Windows 7 x64 Edition Windows 7 x64 Edition
    Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; WOW64; rv:9.0.1) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/9.0.1

    Scrambling to change a password could not be sure it was the right one. Google + You saved the day.

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  5. Bill Dee says:
    Google Chrome 16.0.912.75 Google Chrome 16.0.912.75 Windows 7 Windows 7
    Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1) AppleWebKit/535.7 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/16.0.912.75 Safari/535.7

    THANK YOU! Easy process and it saved me a reinstall!

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    • admin says:
      Epiphany 2.30.6 Epiphany 2.30.6 Debian GNU/Linux x64 Debian GNU/Linux x64
      Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux x86_64; en-us) AppleWebKit/531.2+ (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0 Safari/531.2+ Debian/squeeze (2.30.6-1) Epiphany/2.30.6

      I’m so glad it helped.
      best

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  6. marcin says:
    Opera 11.61 Opera 11.61 Windows XP Windows XP
    Opera/9.80 (Windows NT 5.1; U; pl) Presto/2.10.229 Version/11.61

    May The Lord bless you

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  7. Voltran says:
    Firefox 9.0.1 Firefox 9.0.1 Windows XP Windows XP
    Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 5.1; rv:9.0.1) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/9.0.1

    Hey man, thanks a lot!

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    • admin says:
      Epiphany 2.30.6 Epiphany 2.30.6 Debian GNU/Linux x64 Debian GNU/Linux x64
      Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux x86_64; bg-bg) AppleWebKit/531.2+ (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0 Safari/531.2+ Debian/squeeze (2.30.6-1) Epiphany/2.30.6

      I’m always glad to help.

      Wish you best! see you around
      Georgi

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  8. Vollkorn says:
    Firefox 13.0 Firefox 13.0 Windows XP Windows XP
    Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 5.1; rv:13.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/13.0

    wow, that’s quite a security issue!

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  9. Graham says:
    Google Chrome 23.0.1271.91 Google Chrome 23.0.1271.91 Windows 7 x64 Edition Windows 7 x64 Edition
    Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; WOW64) AppleWebKit/537.11 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/23.0.1271.91 Safari/537.11

    Totally wrong!! The admin password restricts users from accessing the tight vnc UI. Therefore you can’t reset the password or access the tab as mentioned.

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  10. jems says:
    Firefox 17.0 Firefox 17.0 GNU/Linux x64 GNU/Linux x64
    Mozilla/5.0 (X11; Linux i686 on x86_64; rv:17.0) Gecko/17.0 Firefox/17.0

    I’ve installed TightVNC 2.6 on a WinXP system. It works great, but I noticed a security issue. Once I authenticate with Admin, it remembers that after I disconnect and reconnect. Even if I connect from another client, and click on the icon, I instantly have admin access. Isn’t this a bit of a security issue? I couldn’t find any discussion on this, either.
    Is there a way to make it “forget” the admin password once the client drops off, and force re-authentication for the next client?

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    • admin says:
      Firefox 3.6.3 Firefox 3.6.3 Windows 7 Windows 7
      Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 6.1; en-US; rv:1.9.2.3) Gecko/20100401 Firefox/3.6.3

      Hi Jems,

      Yes this is definitely a security issue but I’m not regularly working on Windows so don’t know, I have not noticed that, maybe password is stored somewhere in temporary files in a file or some cache. Try cleaning the Windows temporary files C:\Windows\Temp* and Temporary Internet files and see if this helps ?

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      • jems says:
        Firefox 17.0 Firefox 17.0 Ubuntu x64 Ubuntu x64
        Mozilla/5.0 (X11; Ubuntu; Linux x86_64; rv:17.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/17.0

        Admin:
        Thanks for the reply! But it does not help. Let me explain more. I have System A running TightVNC on WinXP. I connect to it from System B, and gain admin access with the password. If I disconnect and reconnect from System B I immediatly have admin. The odd thing, is if I then connect to the original System A from an entirely new client (system C), it will have admin access on System A!. It’s as if the target is remembering? It seems odd that this would have been designed into the application.
        I don’t work with Windows much either (I use 99% linux), and it does the same thing from a Linux client using vncviewer; the target remembers my password.
        What you’re sayins is I should delete Windows temporary files on System A?

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  11. jems says:
    Firefox 17.0 Firefox 17.0 Ubuntu x64 Ubuntu x64
    Mozilla/5.0 (X11; Ubuntu; Linux x86_64; rv:17.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/17.0

    I just checked the Windows\Temp directory, and it is empty.
    I still have VNC Admin, without authenticating.

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    • admin says:
      Firefox 3.6.3 Firefox 3.6.3 Windows 7 Windows 7
      Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 6.1; en-US; rv:1.9.2.3) Gecko/20100401 Firefox/3.6.3

      Hmm, yes I understand the previous time the situation. That’s quite unusual. A bit of stupid work around might be to uninstall and install TightVNC? It could be it is remembering the password somewhere in windows registry.
      Check – http://www.tightvnc.com/winst.php it has path for TightVNC Windows registry. I don’t have TightVNC in front of me so can’t check but I guess there should be some value or smth. Pls drop a comment back if works.

      Georgi

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  12. jems says:
    Firefox 17.0 Firefox 17.0 Ubuntu x64 Ubuntu x64
    Mozilla/5.0 (X11; Ubuntu; Linux x86_64; rv:17.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/17.0

    Admin:
      For some reason, when I try to reply to this thread, it auto-fills the comment field with NULL, and won't let me type.  So I have to start another.
    Anyway, I have this running on 10 WinXP VMs, and all have the same issue.  I'd hate to uninstall each TightVNC.
    I'm not all that knowledgeable of the registry.  Is there something I can tweak there to make it 'forget' the password?

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    • admin says:
      Firefox 3.6.3 Firefox 3.6.3 Windows 7 Windows 7
      Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 6.1; en-US; rv:1.9.2.3) Gecko/20100401 Firefox/3.6.3

      thanks for reporting about comments, problem I will check what’s wrong when I have some time.
      I don’t have time to check about the registry’s documentation ’bout it. Maybe, Just try to use teamviewer instead for now 🙂

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  13. Prateek says:
    Google Chrome 23.0.1271.97 Google Chrome 23.0.1271.97 Windows 7 Windows 7
    Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1) AppleWebKit/537.11 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/23.0.1271.97 Safari/537.11

    Thanks. you saved me. 🙂

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  14. Ludvigsen says:
    Firefox 3.5.3 Firefox 3.5.3 Windows 7 Windows 7
    Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 6.1; en-GB; rv:1.9.1.3) Gecko/20090824 Firefox/3.5.3

    can you put the plane infront of you in Google earth flight simulator? If how can you tell me?

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  15. Antony says:
    Google Chrome 30.0.1599.69 Google Chrome 30.0.1599.69 Windows 7 x64 Edition Windows 7 x64 Edition
    Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; WOW64) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/30.0.1599.69 Safari/537.36

    excellent Good job….

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  16. rbg says:
    Firefox 43.0 Firefox 43.0 Windows 7 x64 Edition Windows 7 x64 Edition
    Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; WOW64; rv:43.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/43.0

    IT worked 🙂

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  17. Carlos says:
    Google Chrome 51.0.2704.103 Google Chrome 51.0.2704.103 Windows 7 x64 Edition Windows 7 x64 Edition
    Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; WOW64) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/51.0.2704.103 Safari/537.36

    Gracias. Me ayudo mucho.

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  18. Babak says:
    Google Chrome 89.0.4389.82 Google Chrome 89.0.4389.82 Windows 10 x64 Edition Windows 10 x64 Edition
    Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/89.0.4389.82 Safari/537.36

    Thanks

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