Services passworded itself?

[Guest]

Hi,

I noticed that all my "Network Services" and "Local Services" have somehow
acquired a password. My "Local System services" do not have any login
passwords, however. I'm the only person on this computer.

A while ago I set up a (start up) logon password (because some website
advised it - although I've since been told by another source that XP Home
doesn't actually need it!). Anyway, I wondered whether this password somehow
applied itself to the services. But it is a different number of characters
in length from that password. Now I'm worried that some malware, in the
past, might have done something. I am sure that don't have any malware on
my machine right now.

What are these services login passwords? And how did they get there? And
is it safe to just delete them? (And then change the "Log on as" from "This
account" to "Local System account"?)

Any help will be very much apprecaited.

jessj

 

[Guest]

Still no answer! Think I'm accidentally in the wrong group again.

I have read something about XP making passwords upto 14 (or maybe it was 15)
characters if they are less than that when created. Prehaps that is what
happened, and perhaps when you add a logon password in XP Home, it gets on
all the services I mentioned in my original email?

Now I'm wondering whether it also shows up as gibberish characters ar the
beginning of the registry! Or do I have yet another problem...?

Thank me.
I'm welcome!

jessj