Theo said:
Unfortunately I forgot the password for the "Administrator" account on a
WinXP Pro system. I am normally logging in as another user with
Administrator rights.
Can I change (or reset) the "Main Administrators" password from such
another user account with same privileges ?
Yes, though having more than one account with Administrator privs is a Bad
Thing(tm). Anything that makes it easier to get Admin privs when you're
not working on system configuration constitutes a severe security hazard to
be avoided at all costs. Always pick a strong Administrator password,
commit it into the same part of your memory that you keep your social
security and PIN number in, and never, ever use Administrator privs when
you can accomplish a task in any other way. Unnecessary use of
Administrator privileges is the number 1 cause of exploited, malware
infested systems around. If you get no other safety practice right, using
the basic permissions of the OS to your advantage should be it.
Once you fix your Administrator account, change your regular day to day
logins user to a normal, restricted user and don't use the same password
for your normal and your Administrator account. There is no legitimate
reason any normal program should ever need Administrator privileges that
doesn't involve system maintenance or fixing a broken system.
User Accounts control panel. Should be self-explanatory from there.
