[Lynne]

Here are the instructions on how to restore an admin account for when you cannot access the old admin account, have lost the password, got hacked, or you can't receive the lost password email from http://www.YOUR-DOMAIN.com/YOUR-FORUM-DIR/login.php?do=lostpw

Note: Change that link to your forum URL of course.

Browse to your forum and log out if you aren't already. Register as a new user and login as this user.

In the vBulletin's .zip file you can find a directory called 'do_not_upload/'. Inside this directory is a file called 'tools.php'. Upload this file into your forum's admincp/ directory.

Then go to the admincp/tools.php with your browser.

At the bottom of the tools page is an option to 'Reset Admin Access'. Run it with the just newly registered username.

You have just made yourself admin. And you need this because you should now login to the admincp/ and find the user who's password you've lost. Search for this user and when found you will see the whole profile. Including a password field.

Set a new password.

Go to the main forum and log out as the new user, and try to login with the old admin account. This should work now. If it does not work contact vBulletin Support again.

When it works, go back into the admin control panel and find the newly registered user. The profile page will have a dropdown in the top, from there select delete and delete the temporary admin.

Then delete the tools.php file. It is a potential security risk if you leave it on-line.