Forgotten Password

[Ed O'Brien]

I have a friend who was given an old laptop. She changed the password but
then forgot what she used. Can anyone tell me how one resolves this problem?

I am assuming it is XP Home but it may be Professional.

TIA

Ed

 

[RedForeman]

I have a friend who was given an old laptop. She changed the password but
then forgot what she used. Can anyone tell me how one resolves this problem?

I am assuming it is XP Home but it may be Professional.

TIA

Ed

google... google does it all...

if used correctly, and you search for lost password, reset password,
etc, you'll find loads of pages that will answer your question....

The one I use is NT Password change....

 

[Malke]

I have a friend who was given an old laptop. She changed the password but
then forgot what she used. Can anyone tell me how one resolves this problem?

I am assuming it is XP Home but it may be Professional.

See standard blurb below if you are referring to a Windows password. If
you are referring to a BIOS password, you'll need to post back and tell
us the make/model of the laptop.

If you have forgotten your password, if you have another user account
with administrative privileges you can log into that account and change
your original user account's password from the User Accounts applet in
Control Panel. If you don't have another account like this set up or
don't have the password to it, you'll need to log into the built-in
Administrator account. In XP Home, boot the computer into Safe Mode. Do
this by repeatedly tapping the F8 key as the computer is starting up.
This will get you to the right menu. Navigate using your Up arrow key;
the mouse will not work here. Once in Safe Mode, you will see the
normally hidden Administrator account. The default password is a blank.

In XP Pro, you do not need to go into Safe Mode. At the Welcome Screen,
do Ctrl-Alt-Del twice to get the classic Windows logon box. Type in
"Administrator" and whatever password you assigned when you set up Windows.

If you reset the built-in Administrator account's password in Home or
have Pro and don't remember the password, use NTpasswd to change the
built-in Administrator account's password to a blank.

http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/

Then go to the User Accounts applet in Control Panel and set passwords
that you will remember and make other desired changes.


Malke

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

I have a friend who was given an old laptop. She changed the password
but then forgot what she used. Can anyone tell me how one resolves
this problem?
I am assuming it is XP Home but it may be Professional.

TIA

Ed

In addition to the other replies, note that anyone given a used computer
should flatten & reinstall it from scratch - the OS, and all applications.
You never know what's configured/lurking on a used computer, no matter what
the source.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I have a friend who was given an old laptop. She changed the password but
then forgot what she used. Can anyone tell me how one resolves this problem?

I am assuming it is XP Home but it may be Professional.

Over and above the answers you've already gotten, if I acquired a used
computer, the first thing I would do with it would be to reinstall the
operating system cleanly. You have no idea how the computer has been
maintained, what has been installed incorrectly, what is missing, what
viruses and spyware there may be, etc. I wouldn't want to live with
somebody else's mistakes and problems, possibility of kiddie porn,
etc., and I wouldn't recommend that anyone else do either.

 

[Ed O'Brien]

Yes, I agree. Thanks.





"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"

 

[Ed O'Brien]

I agree entirely and thanks everyone for the advice. Sorry I was so long
getting back.


Ed

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I agree entirely and thanks everyone for the advice. Sorry I was so long
getting back.

You're welcome. Glad to help.