Log on password screw up

[Jenny]

I just finished setting up a computer W2K for a dear friend. The last thing
I just did was go to Control panel
Users and Passwords and I checked the little block that said Users must
enter a user name and password to use this computer. I went to Guest and set
up a password and then to Administrator to set up a password. But it didn't
take - I don't remember the exact message. I got a couple of messages that
the passwords had to be the same. I was using some caps and other words not
capped. I know exactly what I entered since it is a phrase she will
remember.

Since I had not set up a password on this computer before, I left the old
password blank. But now it won't let me on. The Log On to Windows box comes
up with Administrator but the password I used doesn't work.
I had tried to enter a password with both caps and little letters. But
nothing works now. HELP!!!!!!!!!!! I have spent too much time to screw this
up now. Please someone. Help me out of this mess.

 

[Ray at]

1. Lesson learned: Read dialog boxes.
2. You did try leaving the password field blank, yes?
3. The fixes for this are more complicated and time consuming than
installing an OS, so since you just installed the OS now, I'd say just start
over from the beginning and reinstall the OS.
4. While installing the OS, leave the administrator password blank when
setup asks you to enter an initial admin password. After the OS is
installed, log on as administrator and immediately create a back
administrator account and give it a password. Then log on as that user to
make sure everything is cool and while logged on as the backup administrator
account, change the primary administrator account. Log back on as
administrator with the new password and finish the install. You will then
have logged on to the computer twice with two separate administrator
accounts with passwords, and you can feel confident everything's cool with
the passwords.

 

[Jenny]

I left the old password field blank. To get the password change option to
come up,
I had to do ctrl-alt-del and when the task mgr came up, I clicked on Change
Password.
Please, how do I fix it without reinstalling the whole thing. I spent days
getting this installation
exactly right.

 

[Ray at]

You can try this then. http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/

--

Ray at home
Microsoft ASP MVP

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Please don't multi-post - you're wasting everybody's time.
Use cross-posting to increase your exposure. See

http://www.aspfaq.com/5003

 

[Geoffw]

did you try leaving the Administrator password "blank"

Geoff

 

[Jenny]

Yes, of course.

 

[Jenny]

Thanks, I'm going to try it! I'll let you know.

 

[Jenny]

I distinctly remember having to move mouse during the process of entering
the Admin
log on password. That computer system was to my side while I worked on my
main
computer. I have an extra monitor setup with keyboard and mouse to my side
for when
I want to work on a second computer at the same time I am doing other stuff.
I had the
mouse on the tower case. It started to slide off and I grabbed it and set
it up on the
calculator keys on the keyboard at the same time I was entering the
password. Would
that have caused a problem?? I only mention that because in researching
this, I found
some info NOT to move mouse while messing with admin passwords.
Thanks for any info!!!

 

[Ray at]

That's an interesting thing to read about not moving the mouse while
changing an admin password... Perhaps you bumped a number on the numeric
pad. The point is that if you do not know the password and do not have
another admin account setup, there is no built-in way to get around this.
If there were, security would be non-existent in Windows. (No snide remarks
are needed from anyone! ;])

Ray at work

 

[Jenny]

You can try this then. http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/

It worked and it was easy!!! A few minutes to d/l zip and a couple to burn
onto floppy. I spent probably
20 minutes reading the directions but it only took a few to implement. Very
easy! What a life saver!!!
Oh my gosh, it really is an incredible high. I am so
thankful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Jenny]

After celebrating, I tried the computer again with a restart, and I can't
logon again.
How totally weird!!!!! I made it a much more simple password and added
another
user with Admin privileges and neither user/password works. I didn't bump
the mouse
and I was totally careful to the max!!!

So, this computer can live without a logon password.

 

[Ray at]

Wow, that's really cool. But in a way, it's a bit scary. :] I guess this
further proves that there is no substitute for physical security.

Ray at work

 

[Colon Terminus]

That's quite an understatement, Ray. A bit scary? Nah, it's scary as hell!
It means that anyone with physical access and a modicum of determination
absolutely OWNS all your computers, every one of 'em.

Wow, that's really cool. But in a way, it's a bit scary. :] I guess this
further proves that there is no substitute for physical security.

Ray at work

"Ray at <%=sLocation%> [MVP]" <myFirstNameATlane34dotKOMM> wrote in message

It worked and it was easy!!! A few minutes to d/l zip and a couple to burn
onto floppy. I spent probably
20 minutes reading the directions but it only took a few to implement. Very
easy! What a life saver!!!
Oh my gosh, it really is an incredible high. I am so
thankful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Ray at]

Yeah, I don't like that...

Ray at work

That's quite an understatement, Ray. A bit scary? Nah, it's scary as hell!
It means that anyone with physical access and a modicum of determination
absolutely OWNS all your computers, every one of 'em.

Wow, that's really cool. But in a way, it's a bit scary. :] I guess this
further proves that there is no substitute for physical security.

 

[Gary Smith]

It means that anyone with physical access and a modicum of determination
absolutely OWNS all your computers, every one of 'em.

But this has always been true, and not only with Windows systems. If you
don't have physical security, you don't have ANY security.

 

[Bob I]

I think the problem is that people "think or believe" that because a
password is required, then you have security. Anyone remember the uproar
about passwords on Office documents. You would have thought that people
believed they were applying approved CIA encryption from all the
articles I saw.