How to change windows password

[ms]

W2K SP4

My system was built by a tech, he arranged so I would not be greeted by the
password screen on bootup. Normally I run 24/7. No changes, no crashes.

Today I had to cold boot. The password screen came up with my username, but
password blank.

Somewhere, he created a unknown password for me when he built it. I want to
change it to my own password so I remember it.

How to see the Windows password, how to change it?

As a separate issue, if the password screen now comes up on cold boot, how
to kill it?

TIA

 

[Danny Sanders]

What happens when you hit enter without providing a password?


hth
DDS W 2k MVP MCSE

 

[ms]

What happens when you hit enter without providing a password?


hth
DDS W 2k MVP MCSE

I expect the same thing as W98, see the screen forever on bootup.

That has never cured it for me.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Windows 2000 is a secure operating system. Under Win98
you could press the Esc key to get in no matter what but
Win2000 always requires a password (which may be supplied
automatically if the machine is so programmed). There is no
way to make the password visible. If there was then it would
not be a secure system, would it?

When you receive a secure system (even a house or a car)
then you ask the supplier for the key. Demand the administrator
password from your technician, then record it in a safe place.
Even better: Create a second admin account immediately,
same as you have two sets of keys for your car!

If you wish the machine to supply the password automatically
then you should launch the Control Panel / Users and Passwords,
click your user name, then untick the box that requires the user
to enter a password.

 

[Sid Knee]

I expect the same thing as W98, see the screen forever on bootup.

That has never cured it for me.

It's not very clear to me. Have you actually *tried* what Danny
suggested or are you just assuming that it won't work.

(If the tech set up your system to log you on automatically there was no
real logic for him to create a password at all. Therefore a blank
password might let you log on).

 

[Dave Patrick]

No idea why you would expect win9x behavior of Windows 2000. Reset the local
administrator password, then you can set it as you like.

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

--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

:
| I expect the same thing as W98, see the screen forever on bootup.
|
| That has never cured it for me.

 

[Danny Sanders]

I expect the same thing as W98,


What happens if you were to actually *try* to log in without a password?

What you "expect" and what actually happens may be different.

DDS

 

[ms]

It's not very clear to me. Have you actually *tried* what Danny
suggested or are you just assuming that it won't work.

Yes, it does not help. See my other reply.

 

[ms]

Windows 2000 is a secure operating system. Under Win98
you could press the Esc key to get in no matter what but
Win2000 always requires a password (which may be supplied
automatically if the machine is so programmed). There is no
way to make the password visible. If there was then it would
not be a secure system, would it?

When you receive a secure system (even a house or a car)
then you ask the supplier for the key. Demand the administrator
password from your technician, then record it in a safe place.
Even better: Create a second admin account immediately,
same as you have two sets of keys for your car!

If you wish the machine to supply the password automatically
then you should launch the Control Panel / Users and Passwords,
click your user name, then untick the box that requires the user
to enter a password.

Thanks to all. BTW, I am set up as administrator.

This is what I see:
Control Panel / Users and Passwords, the opening Users screen:
Password for administrator- greyed out.

Advanced screen, Advanced User Management/Advanced:
under Local Users and Groups, Each entry listed-
administrator
(my name)
guest
ASPNET ??

all have the same in Properties:
user cannot change password is unchecked by default
password never expires is checked

So the place to change to password in the original screen is greyed out,
yet the other screens say it can be changed.

Advice?

Also, is ASPNET a default W2K entry, can it be deleted as I am a home
user, no network.

Thanks

 

[ms]

No idea why you would expect win9x behavior of Windows 2000. Reset the
local administrator password, then you can set it as you like.

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

Thanks, see my other reply.

 

[Danny Sanders]

Somewhere, he created a unknown password for me when he built it. I


Really not following you now. You say the computer comes up asking for a
password that you don't know?

This is what I see:
Control Panel / Users and Passwords, the opening Users screen:
Password for administrator- greyed out.

How did you get to the control panel if the machine comes up asking for a
password that you don't know?


What are you trying to do?

DDS

 

[ms]

Really not following you now. You say the computer comes up asking for
a password that you don't know?




How did you get to the control panel if the machine comes up asking
for a password that you don't know?

Are you aware that selecting Cancel or OK on password screen starts
Windows?

 

[Sid Knee]

Are you aware that selecting Cancel or OK on password screen starts
Windows?

If that's what you're doing then you are getting in as a "guest" and
naturally you won't have any permissions to change anything (least of
all the administrator password). Kind of fundamental security.

 

[ms]

If that's what you're doing then you are getting in as a "guest" and
naturally you won't have any permissions to change anything (least of
all the administrator password). Kind of fundamental security.

I mentioned in my other reply, I am set up as administrator.

 

[Sid Knee]

ms wrote:

I mentioned in my other reply, I am set up as administrator.

So what? That doesn't mean anything unless you actually *log in* as
Administrator using the Administrator password (which you profess not to
know).

In fact you said this when Danny asked how you were getting into Windows:

Which suggests you are doing exactly that (i.e. selecting cancel or OK).
This will log you in as a *Guest* (not Administrator, not your Username)
with no permissions to change anything.

 

[Dave Patrick]

See my reply for the solution.

--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

| I mentioned in my other reply, I am set up as administrator.

 

[ms]

See my reply for the solution.

Dave, I saved the data from that site. It appears to not be a file
download, but instructions on how to edit a config file,etc. to change the
password.

Is this correct?

MS

 

[Dave Patrick]

You'll need to create the linux boot disk then boot from it and following
the instructions reset the password.

http://home.eunet.no/pnordahl/ntpasswd/bootdisk.html

--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

:
| Dave, I saved the data from that site. It appears to not be a file
| download, but instructions on how to edit a config file,etc. to change the
| password.
|
| Is this correct?
|
| MS