password never set but now required for login

[Eric Edlund]

Running XP Home Edition, we created a single user account
and never set a password for it. After about 1 year of
use with no prompt for password, the Welcome screen now
prompts for a password for that user. If left blank, it
displays a popup "Did you forget your password". In safe
mode, Administrator also requires a password; doesn't
work if left blank.
No one else has touched the computer and it was working
fine yesterday. We last ran Windows update about 1-2
months ago.
This is a HP ze5270 notebook.
Thanks!

 

[Paul [MSFT]]

Regarding post:
--------------------

| Sender: "Eric Edlund" <[email protected]>
| Subject: password never set but now required for login
| Date: Thu, 15 Jan 2004 07:05:38 -0800
|
| Running XP Home Edition, we created a single user account
| and never set a password for it. After about 1 year of
| use with no prompt for password, the Welcome screen now
| prompts for a password for that user. If left blank, it
| displays a popup "Did you forget your password". In safe
| mode, Administrator also requires a password; doesn't
| work if left blank.
| No one else has touched the computer and it was working
| fine yesterday. We last ran Windows update about 1-2
| months ago.
| This is a HP ze5270 notebook.
| Thanks!

--------------------------------------------

Hi Eric,

For some reason the "blank" password has gotten changed or corrupted. Here
are some suggestions for resolving this:

Microsoft KB:
321305 How to Log On to Windows XP If You Forget Your Password or Your
Password Expired
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=321305

Jupiter Jones's Security Site:
Steps Lost / Forgotton / Expired Passwords
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/lostpass.htm
[Courtesy of MS-MVP Jupiter Jones]

Karl Levinson's Microsoft Security FAQ
http://securityadmin.info/noframes/faqget.asp#password
[Courtesy of Karl Levinson, CISSP, MCSE, MS MVP]

=========

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

Windows XP Security Homepage:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/security/default.asp

Windows 2000 Security Homepage:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/security/default.asp

Top 10 Windows Newsgroups Security Questions:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/newsgroups/default.asp?url=/technet/newsgro
ups/nodepages/sectop10.asp

=========
Paul Hayes, MCSE
Product Support Services
Microsoft Corporation
(e-mail address removed)