Azure IaaS - Can't Logon? Wrong ID/PW?

If you forgot your VM's logon ID/PW, you have a few options to get back in there.  Note: Domain Controllers don't have local users so these tricks won't work with them....

  1. If this is a brand-new VM (never logged on or configured), it’s generally fastest to delete and recreate it.
  2. If the VM extension installed, you can reset the password via powershell.
  3. For classic VMs, you can reset your password via the new portal - https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/articles/virtual-machines-windows-reset-rdp/#windows-vms-in-the-classic-deployment-model   *does not work in MAG
  4. There is a complicated method (mount the C$ to another VM as a data disk and update a gpt.ini) that will also work.   A peer of mine will be blogging about this process in the future.

*MAG = Microsoft Azure for Government