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Thank you very much for your purchase! Please read the instructions carefully. If you have any problems, please contact support, we are more than happy to help. To get more help visit The Password Zapper knowledgebase on our website. You can contact technical support using the contact link on the bottom of the webpage. Visit https://www.jolly-shopper.com or email us at zapperassist@gmail.com
Typically, this process usually goes smoothly. Getting the USB to successfully boot can be the most difficult. If you read and follow the instructions, you should be able to successfully reset your password. If you have already successfully booted from the USB, skip to the back of this page.
NOTE: When trying to boot from the Zapper USB: If you see the message, “This disk is not a password reset disk” after the computer incorrectly BOOTS TO YOUR WINDOWS LOGIN SCREEN… or you are prompted to insert a “Password Disk” from the login screen, ignore it because it means you DID NOT SUCCESSFULLY BOOT FROM THE USB. If you see that message, it means you didn’t boot from the Zapper USB. The Zapper boots and runs independently from Windows. When you boot the Zapper USB you will see a picture of the Earth at night.
The Boot Menu: The boot menu is a menu you can access when the computer starts (before Windows starts), that allows you to choose which device to boot from. In this case, you will be booting from the Password Zapper USB.
STEP 1: BOOTING THE ZAPPER USB
- Insert the USB drive in an available USB port on your PC or laptop. Turn the power on. When you start your PC, you will want to immediately enter your boot menu and set the primary boot device to boot from the USB drive (the Zapper). To do this, when the computer first starts, you need to repeatedly (slowly) tap the correct key for your computer that is used to enter your boot menu. Sometimes this takes a little finesse.
- Once you are in the boot menu, select the correct boot device (USB) and press ENTER. See below for details. *
- You will see a message “LOADING FILES…” when the Zapper begins to start. When you correctly boot into the Zapper, you will see a picture of the Earth at night.
- Different computer brands have different keys for triggering the boot menu.
- If you have trouble, Google “how to enter boot menu for ‘your computer name here’” There is information including videos for most PCs on the internet on how to enter the boot menu for your computer.
Here are some common keys to press at startup to enter the boot menu:
| ACER: Esc, F9, F12 ASUS: Esc, F8 COMPAQ: Esc, F9 DELL: F12 | EMACHINES: F12 TOSHIBA: F12 HP: Esc, F9 INTEL: F10 | IBM LENOVO: F12 (or Fn+F12), F10, F8 NEC: F5 SAMSUNG: Esc, F12 SONY: F10, F11 |
*In the boot menu, select the USB Flash drive to boot from. The USB flash drive should be listed as a boot option. The USB will display one of the names “General UDisk” or “Generic Flash Disk,” (It might say UEFI in front). Once you select the USB to boot press ENTER. You should see the message, “LOADING FILES….” This means the Zapper is loading. Be patient and it should boot to the Zapper desktop, and you will follow the instructions on how to reset the password found on the back of this page.
You may need to go into your BIOS to get it to boot properly. The BIOS is what controls all the devices and settings on your computer when you turn it on. The BIOS, like the boot menu, hasbrand specific keys to press to enter the BIOS. If you are having trouble booting the Zapper, try the steps below.
- UPDATE THE BIOS: Booting issues can be fixed by updating your BIOS to the latest version (especially on older computers). On some older computers, the BIOS cannot read a modern USB as a boot device, and you will need to perform a BIOS update. For more information you will need to search the internet on how to update the BIOS for your PC.
- Reset the BIOS to factory defaults. To do this, go into the BIOS and find the option to reset BIOS to factory defaults. Save the settings and exit. Try booting from the device again. Sometimes, over the years, the BIOS will get changed by users of the computer and by resetting to defaults, it may help.
- Disable “Secure Boot” mode in the BIOS. To do this, you will enter the BIOS and find the “Secure Boot” option. You will disable this option, save settings and reboot. What is secure boot? Many PC manufacturers use a feature known as “Secure Boot” which blocks computers and laptops from booting from external media such as bootable USB sticks or CDs and DVDs. The “Secure Boot” option is usually found in the BIOS under “Security” or “Boot” menu options.