Forgotten User Password

[Harry Williams]

I have forgotten my user password for Windows XP user log in. How do I find
it or how do log in from the startup screen. I am the only user on the
laptop.

 

[Mark L. Ferguson]

Boot to Safe Mode, and use the Default "Administrator" account to access the
User Accounts app in Control Panel, to change the user password for your
account.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I have forgotten my user password for Windows XP user log in. How
do I find it or how do log in from the startup screen. I am the
only user on the laptop.

You need to know what version of Windows XP you have to try
the easiest fix. If they have Windows XP Home Edition or some other version
of Windows XP (all supersets of Windows XP Professional.)

If Windows XP HOME:
Boot into safe mode and logon as the user named "Administrator" --> it
likely has no password. Change your password and any others needed
once you get logged into safe mode as the actual (and hidden in normal
mode) administrator in Windows XP Home. Reboot and log back in as
your user with the new password.

If Windows XP Professional:
At the "Welcome Screen", press CTRL+ALT+DEL twice in a row (quickly.)
That will bring up the Classic Logon Prompt. Enter "administrator" as the
username (no quotation marks) and try entering nothing (leave it blank)
for the password and log on. If it lets you in, cChange your password
and any others needed.

Doesn't work?

Look through these:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=forgotten+password+in+"Windows+XP+Home"

Look through those who had this issue before you:
http://groups.google.com/groups?as_q=forgotten+password+in+"Windows+XP+Home"&num=100&scoring=r

What Microsoft recommends:
How to log on to Windows XP if you forget your
password or if your password expires
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/321305

Here's a list of possible things to try:
http://www.petri.co.il/forgot_administrator_password.htm

Including a downloadable diskette or CD:
http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/bootdisk.html
.... with instructions clearly on the page for use.

 

[Patrick Keenan]

I have forgotten my user password for Windows XP user log in. How do I find
it or how do log in from the startup screen. I am the only user on the
laptop.

Note that if this is XP Pro (this does not apply to XP Home), and if you
decided to encrypt files or folders, changing the password from outside the
account will almost certainly prevent you from ever decrypting that data.

There are basically two exceptions, but unfortunately, they seldom apply.
The first exception is where you designated a recovery agent, and the other
is where you backed up the account certificates.

If you didn't use encryption, or if it is XP Home, you can safely change the
password from outside the account.

HTH
-pk

 

[jim scraper]

Note that if this is XP Pro (this does not apply to XP Home), and if you
decided to encrypt files or folders, changing the password from outside the
account will almost certainly prevent you from ever decrypting that data.

There are basically two exceptions, but unfortunately, they seldom apply.
The first exception is where you designated a recovery agent, and the other
is where you backed up the account certificates.

If you didn't use encryption, or if it is XP Home, you can safely change the
password from outside the account.

HTH
-pk




you guys are bleeping awesome!!! I was able to get into my windows xp using this post. I for sure thought I was %+#*ed.