HELP, accounts suddently need passwords

[Mike]

Suddently XP has begun asking for passwords to my accounts.
Furthermore, a guest account has been added automatically. This is a
serious problem. I cant enter my computer since I dont know the
passwords - I never set them. When I dont type a password (as I
normally do) I am told that the local policy prohibits interactive
logon. I did nothing special to my computer last time I was logged on.
Please help!!!

 

[Shenan Stanley]

Suddently XP has begun asking for passwords to my accounts.
Furthermore, a guest account has been added automatically. This is a
serious problem. I cant enter my computer since I dont know the
passwords - I never set them. When I dont type a password (as I
normally do) I am told that the local policy prohibits interactive
logon. I did nothing special to my computer last time I was logged on.
Please help!!!

Guest account was always there - disabled by default - but always there.
And if you cannot log on - how do you know there is a guest account? heh

XP Home or XP Pro?
Classic logon or Welcome screen logon?

If XP Home, have you tried Safe Mode boot and logging in as "administrator"
with no password?
If XP Professional and Welcome Screen logon, have you tried CTRL+ALT+DEL
twice and logging in as "administrator" with no password?

How to Log On to Windows XP If You Forget Your Password
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/321305

Log in using safe mode..
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315222

Hack your password:
http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/bootdisk.html

Another Password Hack:
http://www.thomasmathiesen.com/itak/html/software.html


However, the message you are getting is far from indicative of having a
password.. If you somehow CAN logon as an administrative user (if Home, the
administrator user in safe mode is your best bet) - then look here:

Start -> Run
gpedit.msc

Computer Configuration
Windows Settings
Security Settings
Local Policies
User Rights Assignment

Look at the :
- Deny Log on Locally (Make sure your user and/or group(s) your user is in
is not listed here.)
- Log on locally (Make sure your user and/or group(s) your user is in is
listed here.)

 

[Mike]

Guest account was always there - disabled by default - but always there.
And if you cannot log on - how do you know there is a guest account? heh

XP Home or XP Pro?
Classic logon or Welcome screen logon?

If XP Home, have you tried Safe Mode boot and logging in as "administrator"
with no password?
If XP Professional and Welcome Screen logon, have you tried CTRL+ALT+DEL
twice and logging in as "administrator" with no password?

How to Log On to Windows XP If You Forget Your Password
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/321305

Log in using safe mode..
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315222

Hack your password:
http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/bootdisk.html

Another Password Hack:
http://www.thomasmathiesen.com/itak/html/software.html


However, the message you are getting is far from indicative of having a
password.. If you somehow CAN logon as an administrative user (if Home, the
administrator user in safe mode is your best bet) - then look here:

Start -> Run
gpedit.msc

Computer Configuration
Windows Settings
Security Settings
Local Policies
User Rights Assignment

Look at the :
- Deny Log on Locally (Make sure your user and/or group(s) your user is in
is not listed here.)
- Log on locally (Make sure your user and/or group(s) your user is in is
listed here.)

Hi Shenan,

Thanks for your reply. What I mean is off course that the guest
account has been enabled, not that it has been created, but I did
nothing to enable it.

I am running XP home edition. I have tried to log in as administrator
in safe mode, but with no luck. I am just told that the policy does
not allow interactive logon.

I guess that next step is to try and crack the password, but how can
there be a password when I never provided one?

Regards,
Mike

 

[John Rampling]

Seems like you have recently downloaded Windows Update KB885835 which causes
this problem on some computers (including mine). The remedy is to boot to
the safe mode prompt (hit F8 key during bootup) then select 'last known
configuration that worked' or some such wording. Then everything should work
normally.

If the problem recurs the following time you boot up, there may be nothing
for it but to uninstall the Update. Do this in Control Panel / Add/remove
programs, make sure 'show Updates' box is ticked and uninstall Update
KB885835. Then you can delete or disable any unwanted accounts.

Hope all is well. For futher info search the web for "KB885835".

John

 

[Mike]

Sounds reasonable that the update is the cause of the problem.
Unfortunately booting with 'last known configuration that worked' does
not work for me. I am considering whether or not to try to 'repair'
the XP installation (again) using the CD-rom, but I guess that it will
keep the user accounts (incl. the guest account) as they are now, and
maybe it will be even harder to solve the problem afterwards. Any
opinion on that subject??

/Mike

 

[Gordon]

Mike wrote:
|| Sounds reasonable that the update is the cause of the problem.
|| Unfortunately booting with 'last known configuration that worked'
|| does
|| not work for me. I am considering whether or not to try to 'repair'
|| the XP installation (again) using the CD-rom, but I guess that it
|| will
|| keep the user accounts (incl. the guest account) as they are now, and
|| maybe it will be even harder to solve the problem afterwards. Any
|| opinion on that subject??
||
|| /Mike

Have you tried doing a System Restore to a date (say) a week ago or earlier?

 

[Mike]

Mike wrote:
|| Sounds reasonable that the update is the cause of the problem.
|| Unfortunately booting with 'last known configuration that worked'
|| does
|| not work for me. I am considering whether or not to try to 'repair'
|| the XP installation (again) using the CD-rom, but I guess that it
|| will
|| keep the user accounts (incl. the guest account) as they are now, and
|| maybe it will be even harder to solve the problem afterwards. Any
|| opinion on that subject??
||
|| /Mike

Have you tried doing a System Restore to a date (say) a week ago or earlier?

I wish I could, but I cant choose a specific System Restore date
without being logged into the system (as far as I can see).