Log on problems with Win XP Pro

[Loring Hutchinson]

My wife's computer is a Gateway running Win XP Pro.

Last week I shut it down in order to vacumn it out (never got to do
that) and when I turned it back on it came up with the "Log on to
Windows screen:"

User name: Owner
Password: __________



When I fill in the password ( a simple thing of 3 letters, followed by
123, I get the following message.

"The system could not log you on. Make sure the user name and domain
are correct, then type your password again"

The user name in that space has always been Owner
and the password is simple, (I made sure the case was correct for the
password)

My questions:

1.What does it mean user name AND domain. What is meant by domain?

2. Is there a fix/work around for this problem, short of using the
Restore disk.

I bought this computer from my company when they
upgraded therir computers. It has worked flawlessly
for a long time. There has never been a problem in
the past with turning the computwer off and powering
up and entering the password again

3. What are the downsides with using the Restore disk? do I lose all
the other data/software, etc doing this.

All inputs/comments welcomed

Loring H

 

[Shenan Stanley]

My wife's computer is a Gateway running Win XP Pro.

Last week I shut it down in order to vacumn it out (never got to do
that) and when I turned it back on it came up with the "Log on to
Windows screen:"

User name: Owner
Password: __________



When I fill in the password ( a simple thing of 3 letters, followed
by 123, I get the following message.

"The system could not log you on. Make sure the user name and domain
are correct, then type your password again"

The user name in that space has always been Owner
and the password is simple, (I made sure the case was correct for
the password)

My questions:

1.What does it mean user name AND domain. What is meant by domain?

2. Is there a fix/work around for this problem, short of using the
Restore disk.

I bought this computer from my company when they
upgraded therir computers. It has worked flawlessly
for a long time. There has never been a problem in
the past with turning the computwer off and powering
up and entering the password again

3. What are the downsides with using the Restore disk? do I lose all
the other data/software, etc doing this.

All inputs/comments welcomed

1) Ignore. Being Windows XP - some of its messages tend to revolve around a
workgroup/domain environment. In your case - there is a possibility a
domain is involved given how you acquired it (and likely just left
everything installed as it was.) A domain is more apt to exist if the
machine was used in a business or school environment and JOINED to the
domain. A possibility in your story as I said. If it came from the
company - I would hope they removed it from the domain for you before
giving/selling it to you.

2) Log on as the default administrator and change the password for the
"owner account". With your particular story - it is possible there was a
password entered for the "administrator" - but then again... It could be
blank and one of these early methods will work:

At the "Welcome Screen", press CTRL+ALT+DEL twice in a row (quickly.)
That will bring up the Classic Logon Prompt. Enter "administrator" as the
username (no quotation marks) and try entering nothing (leave it blank)
for the password and log on. If it lets you in, cChange your password
and any others needed.

Doesn't work?

Look through these:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=forgotten+password+in+"Windows+XP+Home"

Look through those who had this issue before you:
http://groups.google.com/groups?as_q=forgotten+password+in+"Windows+XP+Home"&num=100&scoring=r

What Microsoft recommends:
How to log on to Windows XP if you forget your
password or if your password expires
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/321305

Here's a list of possible things to try:
http://www.petri.co.il/forgot_administrator_password.htm

Including a downloadable diskette or CD:
http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/bootdisk.html
.... with instructions clearly on the page for use.
(You may be able to use the last metod to reset the OWNER password as well.)

3) Depends on the restoration method - but most likely scenario - using it
wipes everything. That would be the very last resort.

 

[Kenneth]

Last week I shut it down in order to vacumn it out (never got to do
that)

Howdy,

I hope that the suggestions that others have offered get you
up and running but...

You may be fortunate that the vacuuming got interrupted:

It is not an appropriate way to clean out the system because
vacuuming often generates static electricity as the
particles rapidly slide into the (usually plastic) nozzle.
If that discharges, it can toast your system.

Far better is to "blow" the dust etc. off the system
components.

All the best, and good luck with the password hassle,

 

[Daave]

When I fill in the password ( a simple thing of 3 letters, followed by
123, I get the following message.

"The system could not log you on. Make sure the user name and domain
are correct, then type your password again"

The user name in that space has always been Owner
and the password is simple, (I made sure the case was correct for the
password)

My questions:

1.What does it mean user name AND domain. What is meant by domain?

2. Is there a fix/work around for this problem, short of using the
Restore disk.

When you boot up, do you get a screen that looks like this?:

http://blog.case.edu/djc6/XP_Logon_Screen.jpg

If not, quickly pressing Ctrl+Alt+Del twice (as Shenan mentioned) should
get you there.

What are the choices in the drop-down menu next to "Log on to"? (You may
need to click on the Options button to show that line.)

 

[Loring Hutchinson]

I replace the word "User" in User Name with "Administrator", no
password and hit enter and got a window titled "Windows Security
Center" There is also a generic Desktop in the background.

I can click Start, My Computer but it won't let me access the files.

Is there a way I can fix the original password problem I posted in my
first post, See below

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I replace the word "User" in User Name with "Administrator", no
password and hit enter and got a window titled "Windows Security
Center" There is also a generic Desktop in the background.

I can click Start, My Computer but it won't let me access the files.

Is there a way I can fix the original password problem I posted in
my first post, See below

Yes - read and follow the rest of the suggestions that were given to you
already to change the password on the Owner account.

(Once you log on as administrator - change the Owner's password. The user
"administrator" is a member of the local "administrators" group and can
change ANYONE's pasword and/or takle ownership of anyone's files (see
below).)

All this assumes you did not use FILE ENCRYPTION - EFS - If you did - do not
change the Owner's password. Otherwise - it is okay to do this. My bet -
you don't use File Encryption. Meaning (if you don't use EFS) you can
ignore warnings about changing others passwords)

Changing "Owners" password:
- Open the User Accounts tool --> open Control Panel from the Start menu,
and then double click User Accounts.
- Click Change an account in the Pick a task list box.
- Click the account that you want to change. (Owner)
- Click Create/change the password to create or change the password for the
user and create or change the password hint.

Or
- Start button --> RUN --> type in:

control userpasswords2

- Click OK.
- Click once on the user account you wish to change. (Owner)
- Click on "Reset Password"
- You should be able to figure out from there how to finiosh changing the
password...

Log off - log in as "Owner".


As far as the "won't let me access the files" <- you mean it gives you
"access denied" as a message when you attempt to (critical information you
should share)?

How to Take Ownership of a File or Folder in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308421

Read *carefully* - do not just skim the page and start following steps.
There is important information there dependent on the version of Windows XP.

Hopefully that will get you where you need to be finally. Just log in as
the "administrator" and change the "owner" user's password and log off/back
on as "owner" (again - if you use EFS - don't do that and come back and tell
us you use EFS. I highly DOUBT you utilize EFS.) Worst case - you can log
in as "administrator" and take ownership of the files and be able to get to
your favorites, my documents, desktop, etc of the "owner" account.

 

[quy nguyen]

make sure you logon your computer not domain.

in logon screen type in

yourcomputername\user
password

 

[Loring Hutchinson]

Just to let you know I am back in business. My heartfelt thanks for
your help.!!!!!!

Loring H

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

My wife's computer is a Gateway running Win XP Pro.

Last week I shut it down in order to vacumn it out (never got to do
that) and when I turned it back on it came up with the "Log on to
Windows screen:"

User name: Owner
Password: __________

Shenan has answered your question, but I wanted to add a comment:

Do *not* use a vacuum cleaner inside a computer. The static
electricity it generates can fry your motherboard or other components
within it. The proper way to remove dust buildup is by blowing it out
with a can of compressed air.