profile password

[Guest]

Someone gave me a computer that runs on Windows XP. She didn't delete the
password and I can't reach her. Is there any way I can bypass it?

 

[Shenan Stanley]

Someone gave me a computer that runs on Windows XP. She didn't
delete the password and I can't reach her. Is there any way I can
bypass it?

Wouldn't be much of a password if you could without some special knowledge.

The question... is this a loaner or did they give this computer to you for
keeps?

If the latter (this is not a business computer/loaner) - you should format
and install anew.
(You have NO idea what it was used for, what stuff might have been installed
(intentionally or otherwise) etc.)

If the former (this is a loaner) - they should have made you an account on
it and anything you do to change the current user's password is a risk if
that user has encrypted files. You change their password - they lose their
data unless they have backed up wisely.

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.

 

[JS]

Note: The default password for the built in and normally hidden Windows
'Administrator' account is normally blank (none).

For XP Home users:
Boot the computer into Safe Mode
Do this by pressing the F8 key after the Power On Self Test is finished,
until the Start menu appears.
This will get you to the correct menu window.
Once in Safe Mode, you will see the normally hidden Administrator account
and any other accounts.
(Note: Accounts are displayed alphabetically).
Use the Up/down arrow keys to highlight the 'Adminstrator' account;
Remember as mentioned above: The default password is a blank (no password
required).

Also See: Forgotten your Windows XP Home password
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/894902/en-us
and: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/894901/

For XP Pro users:
You do not need to go into Safe Mode.
At the Welcome Screen, do/press the Ctrl-Alt-Del keys twice to display the
Windows logon box.
Type in "Administrator" (without the quotes) and 'if' you assigned a
password when you set up Windows, then enter it. (Note: by default the
password is blank, no password need be entered)

Once your in, then:
Click Start/Run/and type in: Control Userpasswords2 and then press OK
Next click on the Advanced tab and then click Manage Passwords.

JS

 

[Patrick Keenan]

Someone gave me a computer that runs on Windows XP. She didn't delete the
password and I can't reach her. Is there any way I can bypass it?

If this is XP Home, restart in Safe Mode (power down, then back up, and
press F8 at startup) and log on as Administrator. By default, this password
is blank, just press Enter. THen go to Control Panel, Users, and reset or
remove the password. Restart normally.

If this is XP Pro, at the login screen, press Control+alt+delete once or
twice, use Administrator as the user name and try the blank password.

If that doesn't work, you'll have to either ask the person who gave you the
machine, or get a password reset utility. These are often found on
Linux-based boot CDs. This means you'll need to be able to download a
fairly large file and burn it to CD, and set your "new" PC to boot from CD.

HTH
-pk

 

[Guest]

Thank you it worked.

Wouldn't be much of a password if you could without some special knowledge.

The question... is this a loaner or did they give this computer to you for
keeps?

If the latter (this is not a business computer/loaner) - you should format
and install anew.
(You have NO idea what it was used for, what stuff might have been installed
(intentionally or otherwise) etc.)

If the former (this is a loaner) - they should have made you an account on
it and anything you do to change the current user's password is a risk if
that user has encrypted files. You change their password - they lose their
data unless they have backed up wisely.

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.

 

[VanguardLH]

in message

Someone gave me a computer that runs on Windows XP. She didn't
delete the
password and I can't reach her. Is there any way I can bypass it?

Well, if she also gave you a legitimate copy of Windows XP then she
gave you the installation media for it, so do a fresh install of the
OS by running the setup program and selecting to format the partition.
Of course, if all those applications she gave you, too, are legitimate
then she also gave you the install discs for them so you can do their
fresh installs.