Bypass a login without the password

[Brad]

I was given a laptop that has a existing username and
password, and I'm trying to get past the login so I can
change it to my own account.

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

Brad;
See if something here helps:
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/lostpass.htm

 

[Doug Knox MS-MVP]

If the laptop has XP Pro, press CTRL-ALT-DEL twice at the Welcome Screen, with no other users logged on, and you'll get the old Win2K style logon dialog. Enter Adminstrator, and try leaving the password blank.

For XP Home, you'll need to boot the computer into Safe Mode to access the built in Administrator account.

Otherwise, you'll have to ask the previous owner for the logon information.