Password Puzzlement

[HagarTheHorrible]

Just got a call from a neighbor who password encoded her admin account on her
Win XP machine. The original intent was to keep her teenagers off of her
profile - but now that she has forgotten her password, she is locked out too.

Any ideas how this can be recovered or reset? I have heard of using a live
Linux CD to back door a solution, but I am nowhere near that ambitious. I am
lookinh for the most practical alternative to backing up her files, wiping
the HD & starting fresh.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Just got a call from a neighbor who password encoded her admin account on her
Win XP machine. The original intent was to keep her teenagers off of her
profile - but now that she has forgotten her password, she is locked out too.

Any ideas how this can be recovered or reset? I have heard of using a live
Linux CD to back door a solution, but I am nowhere near that ambitious. I am
lookinh for the most practical alternative to backing up her files, wiping
the HD & starting fresh.

Unless she's set the built-in Administrator's password via the
Management Console (_not_ the Control Panel), it's probably still blank.
WinXP Pro asks the user to set the Administrator's password during
installation, but WinXP Home doesn't.

Simply log in using the built-in Administrator account (which
cannot be deleted) and modify the desired account(s) and use Start > Run

"control userpasswords2" to modify the desired account(s).

By design, the only way to log into the Administrator account of
WinXP Home is to reboot into Safe Mode. For WinXP Pro, pressing
CTRL+ALT+DEL twice at the Welcome Screen will produce the standard login
dialog box.

How to Log On to Windows XP If You Forget Your Password or Your
Password Expires
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q321305

Failing that, Linux-based password cracking utilities abound on the
Internet, freely available to anyone who can use Google.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:


They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot

 

[HagarTheHorrible]

Thanks for the info. I am not sure if it's XP Home or Pro, but because it is
just a regular old Dell, I assume that it's XP Home.

I also had this solution suggested,

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

Care to venture an opinion on that?

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

http://home.eunet.no/pnordahl/ntpasswd/ is the Linux-based
password resetting tool that Bruce had in mind when he
wrote his reply.

When fixing your neighbour's machine, ask him how many
sets of keys he has for his car. If it's more than one, ask him
why. Now ask him how many admin accounts he has for
Windows, and if it's just a single one, why.

 

[HagarTheHorrible]

Ohhh.... I like that analogy.

I know I always keep a second admin level account for such occasions. I
remember one time my 12 year old daughter was P.O.ed at me for something (ah,
the perks of being a parent) and she reset the password to my account. That
little stunt got her grounded from the computer for a week.

But I can see how forgetting passwords could happen to most people. At work
I have to pass through about three ot four levels of password encrypted
security before I can start my day. And then our IT department requires that
we change our passwords every three months. There are days I do good to
remember my name let alone continuouslt changing security access codes.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Thanks for the info. I am not sure if it's XP Home or Pro, but because it is
just a regular old Dell, I assume that it's XP Home.

I also had this solution suggested,

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

Care to venture an opinion on that?

That would be one of those many Linux-based tools I mentioned.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:


They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot

 

[HagarTheHorrible]

Found the easiest solution of all.

Just booted in to Safe Mode and used teh hidden administrator account.'

From there I was able to reset the password.