Password problems..

[Becca]

Recently, my computer had some windows updates. I let them install and then
when I rebooted, Windows asked for a password. I am the only user on this
home computer so I did not ever set one. It won't let me log on at all.
I've tried entering nothing and everything I can think of. I've tried
rebooting into safe mode, and again it asks for passwords for Administrator
and myself.
I'm not a computer expert by a long run, but am hoping that someone might
have had the same experience and may have some help for this problem.

 

[Claymore]

Recently, my computer had some windows updates.  I let them install and then
when I rebooted, Windows asked for a password.  I am the only user on this
home computer so I did not ever set one.  It won't let me log on at all. 
I've tried entering nothing and everything I can think of.   I've tried
rebooting into safe mode, and again it asks for passwords for Administrator
and myself.
I'm not a computer expert by a long run, but am hoping that someone might
have had the same experience and may have some help for this problem.

Try one or both of these:

If you're being asked for a username and password, try this:

Go to Control Panel => User Accounts => Change the way users log on or
off => check the 'Use the Welcome screen box'.


If it's having to click a name in the Welcome screen, try this:

Go to Start => Run and type in "control userpasswords" {without the
quotes, and there's a space after "Control"}

Uncheck the box "Users must enter a user name and password to use this
computer".

 

[Becca]

The problem still is that I can't GET to the control panel. It wants a
password on the welcome screen and won't let me past that point without one.
Even in Safe Mode, I can't reset the admin password or get to the control
panel. Thanks so much, I may not have been clear enough on my first post
(first ever)

Thanks again for your post!

 

[JS]

Note: The default password for the built in Windows Administrator account is
normally blank (none).
Use this hidden/admin account to fix your problem.

For XP Home users:
Boot the computer into Safe Mode
Do this by pressing the F8 key after the Power On Self Test is finished,
until the Start menu appears.
This will get you to the correct menu window.
Once in Safe Mode, you will see the normally hidden Administrator account
and any other accounts.
(Note: Accounts are displayed alphabetically).
Use the Up/down arrow keys to highlight the 'Administrator' account;
Remember as mentioned above: The default password is a blank (no password
required).

Also See: Forgotten your Windows XP Home password
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/894902/en-us
and: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/894901/

For XP Pro users:
You do not need to go into Safe Mode.
At the Welcome Screen, do/press the Ctrl-Alt-Del keys twice to display the
Windows logon box.
Type in "Administrator" (without the quotes) and 'if' you assigned a
password when you set up Windows, then enter it. (Note: by default the
password is blank, no password need be entered)

Once your in, then:
Click Start/Run/and type in: Control Userpasswords2 and then press OK
Next click on the Advanced tab and then click Manage Passwords.

Also:
Download Tweak UI from Microsoft
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx
Then expand the Logon option and select Autologon and Check the Autologon
box.

OR

Start/Run and enter: CONTROL USERPASSWORDS2
On the User tab: pick (highlight) the account you want to automatically log
on
Then uncheck: Users must enter username and password
Next click Apply and enter the password (if the account you pick has a
password)
Finally click OK until your completely out

Finally:
How to turn on automatic logon in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315231

JS

 

[Patrick Keenan]

The problem still is that I can't GET to the control panel. It wants a
password on the welcome screen and won't let me past that point without
one.
Even in Safe Mode, I can't reset the admin password or get to the control
panel. Thanks so much, I may not have been clear enough on my first post
(first ever)

Thanks again for your post!

You may find that you need a password reset utility. There are a number
of these available as bootable disk images; some are based on Linux
distributions. You will need to be able to burn a CD to do this.

If this is XP Home, you have no problems with this. You can reset the
passwords and get back into all the accounts.

But if it's XP Pro, you need to be aware that changing the password from
outside the account will - not can - permanently prevent access to files and
folders that were encrypted using XP Pro's built-in EFS encryption (unless
you have the credentials backed up or designated a Recovery Agent - this is
often not done as it isn't required or even prompted). If you have XP Pro
and you even think you might have invoked encryption, STOP and consider your
options while you still have some.

Even if you are the only person using the system, you should create a
password, because some things require it. For example, the Windows Task
Scheduler by default will not run scheduled tasks (like backups or virus
scans) using a local account that has no password. This is a security
feature, and can be disabled, but you shouldn't. Instead, add a password
and use TweakUI to have it remembered.

HTH
-pk

 

[Patrick Keenan]

Note: The default password for the built in Windows Administrator account
is normally blank (none).
Use this hidden/admin account to fix your problem.

Unfortunately, the OP probably can't use this. There seems to be a
circumstance where XP decides that all the accounts have passwords, even if
there aren't, so you can't get into *any* of them. They have to be reset
externally. There are reports of this problem going back to at least
2004.

For example,
http://www.petri.co.il/forgot_administrator_password.htm

HTH
-pk

 

[Anna]

Recently, my computer had some windows updates. I let them install and
then
when I rebooted, Windows asked for a password. I am the only user on this
home computer so I did not ever set one. It won't let me log on at all.
I've tried entering nothing and everything I can think of. I've tried
rebooting into safe mode, and again it asks for passwords for
Administrator
and myself.
I'm not a computer expert by a long run, but am hoping that someone might
have had the same experience and may have some help for this problem.

(and Becca later adds...)

The problem still is that I can't GET to the control panel. It wants a
password on the welcome screen and won't let me past that point without
one.
Even in Safe Mode, I can't reset the admin password or get to the control
panel. Thanks so much, I may not have been clear enough on my first post
(first ever)

Thanks again for your post!

Becca:
If the responses from Patrick and others to your query haven't resolved your
problem, let me suggest the following...

Obviously you have access to another computer so you can access the
internet, right? If so, go to the following website...
http://home.eunet.no/pnordahl/ntpasswd/

1. On the top of the webpage click on the "Bootdisk" button.
2. In the "Download" section of that page click on the cd070927.zip file and
download it to your Desktop. Note it's a ZIP file so the contents of that
file will have to be extracted.
3. I assume you know how to do this by merely right-clicking on the ZIP
file, click on Extract All, Next, Next, Finish.
4. A folder will be created on your Desktop titled "cd070927".
5. Inside that folder will be the cd070927.iso file. It's this .iso file
that allows you to create a bootable CD from that .iso image.
6. Hopefully, you have a CD-burning program, e.g., Nero, Roxio, etc., that
allows you to merely double-click on the .iso file and the program will open
and create a bootable CD from that .iso image. If you don't have such a
program perhaps you have a friend or acquaintance who does and he or she can
help you with creating the bootable CD. There are other programs available
on the net that allow you to do this as well but these third-party programs
that I've mentioned make it a very simple & straightforward process.

Now that you've created the bootable CD that's designed to reset your
password, insert the CD in your optical drive and boot to it.

The following are step-by-step instructions for using the program. The
example involved is a single-partitioned HDD, but the basic steps are the
same for any size HDD, except where the drive is multi-partitioned. If the
latter is the case the steps will be slightly different but they will not be
unduly complicated or substantially different under those circumstances.

As you progress through the screens the information provided and steps
involved look more complicated than they really are. In virtually every step
during the process you, as the user, will simply be pressing the Enter key
or some other simple keystroke. So please don't be unduly concerned as you
look through the following. Relax, and take your time during the process,
OK?

1. Hopefully your PC is set up so that it will boot to a bootable CD. If
it's not, change the motherboard's BIOS boot priority setting so that the
CD-ROM is first in boot priority.

2. Boot to the password reset CD. At the first screen you will see the
"boot:" prompt. Press Enter.

3. The next prompt ("Step ONE") will be "Select: [1]". Press Enter.

4. The next prompt ("Step TWO") will be "What is the path to the registry
directory? (relative to windows disk)
[WINDOWS/system32/config]:". Again, press Enter.

5. The next prompt will follow text "Select which part of registry to load,
use ..." and list three options. The default prompt will reflect the first
option ("Password reset ..."), indicating "[1]". Again, press Enter.

6. The next prompt at "Step THREE" will indicate "What to do? [1]". Again,
press Enter.

7. A bunch of information will follow with the final line displaying the
prompt, "or simply enter the username to change [Administrator]". Type your
user name, e.g., BECCA, and press Enter. Ensure you've correctly entered
your user name in the proper case (uppercase or lowercase as you have
originally set it).

8. More information will follow ending with the following prompt...
"Please enter new password:". Type an * (asterisk or star) and press Enter.

9. The next prompt will be...
"Do you really wish to change it? (y/n) [n]". Type y and press Enter.
(You'll receive the confirmation "Changed!")

10. The last line of the following prompt will read...
"or simply enter the username to change [Administrator]". Type !
(exclamation point) and press Enter.

11. The last line of the next prompt will read...
"What to do? [1]" . Type q and press Enter.

12. The next prompt ("Step FOUR") will read...
"About to write file(s) back! Do it? [n]". Type y and press Enter.

13. At this point you should get the "EDIT COMPLETE" message with the
following prompt...
"You can try again if it somehow failed, or you selected wrong New run? [n]"
Just press Enter.

14. The final prompt will be a "#" signaling that the program has finished
its work. Remove the CD from your optical drive and reboot.

Hopefully your Administrator's password has been reset to a blank password
and you should gain access to your system.
Anna

 

[Becca]

I have already used a password reset utility. Made the image on the CD and
ran the program, but it did not work. It actually said there was no
password. But when I boot into safe mode, it still asks me for a password
and won't accept no entry (nothing) or anything I can think of.

A part of me wonders if the installation went awry when it updated. I was
hoping someone had the problem and solved it themselves.

It looks like a reformat, this will be a challenge for me..new experience!

Thanks to all who have responded with suggestions!

Becca

 

[JS]

Before you format and reinstall XP you might try a 'Repair' installation. I
can't say this will fix you problem but it's worth a try.

Using your original Windows Setup CD, boot from the CD and follow all the
instructions until you get to the point where Setup finds your current
Windows installation. Next you will have the option of performing a repair
install. Choose the repair option, not the standard Setup. Just follow the
instructions to complete the repair process. Windows will keep your previous
settings,including applications and device drivers.

Also read: http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

Finally go to Windows Update site and install all the updates as they will
need to be reinstall also.

JS