password

  • Thread starter Thread starter sewnsurg
  • Start date Start date
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sewnsurg

I am running windows xp pro on a toshiba laptop (x 2 yrs). Yesterday when
closing down that was a new and different dialog box I have not previously
encountered. Today when I started up, for the first time in history it
asked for a username and password. I tried everything I have ever used on
the machine and none would work. To my knowledge I never set up an
administrator, username, or password on this machine that has always only
been used by me.

I do I regain use of my computer?

Thanks for help.

Andrew

p.s. obviously I am sending this from a different computer.
 
sewnsurg said:
I am running windows xp pro on a toshiba laptop (x 2 yrs). Yesterday
when closing down that was a new and different dialog box I have not
previously
encountered. Today when I started up, for the first time in history
it
asked for a username and password. I tried everything I have ever
used on
the machine and none would work. To my knowledge I never set up an
administrator, username, or password on this machine that has always
only been used by me.
Click to expand...

Since I don't know what "tried everything" entails:

In XP Home, boot the computer into Safe Mode. Do this by repeatedly
tapping the F8 key as the computer is starting up. This will get you to
the right menu. Navigate using your Up arrow key; the mouse will not
work here. Once in Safe Mode, you will see the normally hidden
Administrator account. The default password is a blank.

In XP Pro, you do not need to go into Safe Mode. At the Welcome Screen,
do Ctrl-Alt-Del twice to get the classic Windows logon box. Type in
"Administrator" and whatever password you assigned when you set up
Windows.

If you reset the built-in Administrator account's password in Home or
have Pro and don't remember the password, use NTpasswd to change the
built-in Administrator account's password to a blank.

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

Then go to the User Accounts applet in Control Panel and set passwords
that you will remember and make other desired changes.

Malke
 
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