Administrator to access all password protected users

[Guest]

I am the administrator on my home computer (windows xp). Accounts have been
set up for other users. They have been password protected. However, they
are no longer using this computer. Can I get their password (without asking)
in order to clean up the account , remove etc.

 

[David Kerber]

I am the administrator on my home computer (windows xp). Accounts have been
set up for other users. They have been password protected. However, they
are no longer using this computer. Can I get their password (without asking)
in order to clean up the account , remove etc.

You can't find their password, but you can change it.

 

[Steven L Umbach]

You can logon as administrator and "reset" their password. Note that if
there are any files encrypted via EFS by those users on the computer [XP
Pro] that you will lose permanent access to those files. You can go to
Control Panel/user accounts and select the user to reset their password.
Also as an administrator you do not need their password to access/delete non
encrypted files but you may need to take ownership of the files first and
then give yourself full control permissions. It is best to delete unneeded
user profiles using Control Panel/system/advanced - user profiles while
logged on as an administrator. --- Steve

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308421 --- how to
take ownership file and folders
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308418 --- how to
change folder permissions

 

[Robert Bollinger]

Yes, Logon as administrator (which it sounds like you are) then simply
Open the users applet in the control panel and select that particular user
And choose reset password.

You will loose access to encrypted data if you do that. I would suggest
disable encryption in the future.


Robert Bollinger, MCP.