So I lost my log-in password...

[csantanajr06]

After reseting my password a number of times, I have seemed to forgotten
what my password is. Is there any way to by pass the log-in or do
something differently to access my desktop?

Please help!

 

[Bruce Chambers]

After reseting my password a number of times, I have seemed to forgotten
what my password is. Is there any way to by pass the log-in or do
something differently to access my desktop?

Please help!

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

 

[Plato]

After reseting my password a number of times, I have seemed to forgotten
what my password is. Is there any way to by pass the log-in or do
something differently to access my desktop?

Next time:

Get a steno pad

Write down your password on PAPER. Which is "way" more reliable then
memory...

 

[Guest]

A friend of mine has also forgotten his password and cant log on to his PC.
Thing is he has Widows 98 installed on his harddrive, so im not sure if the
XP solution would work in his case.
Can anyone tell me in easy to understand idiot language......pc novice
here how my friend can access his pc again (or bypass the log in in some
way).

Thx

 

[Richard in AZ]

You should have posted in the Win98 group. We assumed you had WinXP since you posted in this
group.
In Windows 98 just click on the Cancel button at the log-in screen and you will be in.
The only function of the login (with password) is to give you a unique desktop.

Then do a search for all files ending in "pwl" (*.pwl) and delete them.
Then go Start - Run - and type in "sysedit"
Open the System.ini file, scroll down to passwords and delete the lines.

Reboot the computer and choose your user and type in a new password.
Or better yet, don't enter any password and the computer will boot directly.

 

[Guest]

If i have XP Pro and have forgotten my password how can log into my pc?
I have tried logging in as administrator ( press F8 while starting up and
then choosing safe mode so as to log on as admin), but when i arrive at the
admin inloggning im still asked for a password - and i dont have a password
for adminstrator???
Help!!!!

Mart

 

[Malke]

If i have XP Pro and have forgotten my password how can log into my
pc? I have tried logging in as administrator ( press F8 while starting
up and then choosing safe mode so as to log on as admin), but when i
arrive at the admin inloggning im still asked for a password - and i
dont have a password for adminstrator???
Help!!!!

FYI, you do not need to go into Safe Mode to access the built-in
Administrator account in XP Pro. To access the built-in Administrator
account in XP Pro just do Ctrl-Alt-Del twice at the Welcome Screen.
This will give you the classic logon box where you can type in
"Administrator" (without the quotes).

Log on with another account that has administrative privileges and do:
Start>Run>control userpasswords2 [enter]

Put a check in the box that says "Users must enter a user name and
password to use the computer" if there isn't one already. Now you can
click on the Reset Password button to change the Administrator
password.

If you didn't create another user account with administrative
privileges, this is a good illustration of why you should do this. If
this is your current situation, you can boot with NTpasswd and change
the built-in Administrator password to a blank. Then log into the
account, go to the User Accounts applet and create a new user account
for the future. You can also run control userpasswords2 and change the
Administrator account from the blank to something you will remember.

Malke

 

[Guest]

If i have XP Pro and have forgotten my password how can log into my
pc? I have tried logging in as administrator ( press F8 while starting
up and then choosing safe mode so as to log on as admin), but when i
arrive at the admin inloggning im still asked for a password - and i
dont have a password for adminstrator???
Help!!!!

FYI, you do not need to go into Safe Mode to access the built-in
Administrator account in XP Pro. To access the built-in Administrator
account in XP Pro just do Ctrl-Alt-Del twice at the Welcome Screen.
This will give you the classic logon box where you can type in
"Administrator" (without the quotes).

Log on with another account that has administrative privileges and do:
Start>Run>control userpasswords2 [enter]

Put a check in the box that says "Users must enter a user name and
password to use the computer" if there isn't one already. Now you can
click on the Reset Password button to change the Administrator
password.

If you didn't create another user account with administrative
privileges, this is a good illustration of why you should do this. If
this is your current situation, you can boot with NTpasswd and change
the built-in Administrator password to a blank. Then log into the
account, go to the User Accounts applet and create a new user account
for the future. You can also run control userpasswords2 and change the
Administrator account from the blank to something you will remember.

Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

 

[Guest]

My husband disabled USER account--%^%$#- by error--there is an adminstrator
password request at login--I am not familiar with any password--I cannot
log-in--tried the ctrl-alt-del[2] --will not let me in-- 2 questions
1. last year I authenticated this XP- never received XP CD-- is it possible
that the authenicatation process created a password?
2. What are the next steps to get into my computer in order to enable my
user account?
I am not on a network-- and I am the only user
Thank you for any information you can offer.

If i have XP Pro and have forgotten my password how can log into my
pc? I have tried logging in as administrator ( press F8 while starting
up and then choosing safe mode so as to log on as admin), but when i
arrive at the admin inloggning im still asked for a password - and i
dont have a password for adminstrator???
Help!!!!

FYI, you do not need to go into Safe Mode to access the built-in
Administrator account in XP Pro. To access the built-in Administrator
account in XP Pro just do Ctrl-Alt-Del twice at the Welcome Screen.
This will give you the classic logon box where you can type in
"Administrator" (without the quotes).

Log on with another account that has administrative privileges and do:
Start>Run>control userpasswords2 [enter]

Put a check in the box that says "Users must enter a user name and
password to use the computer" if there isn't one already. Now you can
click on the Reset Password button to change the Administrator
password.

If you didn't create another user account with administrative
privileges, this is a good illustration of why you should do this. If
this is your current situation, you can boot with NTpasswd and change
the built-in Administrator password to a blank. Then log into the
account, go to the User Accounts applet and create a new user account
for the future. You can also run control userpasswords2 and change the
Administrator account from the blank to something you will remember.

Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

 

[Malke]

My husband disabled USER account--%^%$#- by error--there is an
adminstrator
password request at login--I am not familiar with any password--I
cannot log-in--tried the ctrl-alt-del[2] --will not let me in-- 2
questions 1. last year I authenticated this XP- never received XP CD--
is it possible that the authenicatation process created a password?
2. What are the next steps to get into my computer in order to enable
my user account?
I am not on a network-- and I am the only user
Thank you for any information you can offer.

1. No. A human has to create a password. The computer doesn't do this
all by itself. The default password for the Administrator account is a
blank.

2. If you can't get into the built-in Administrator account because
someone changed the password and you don't know it, use NTpasswd to
change the Administrator password to a blank. Then log in and create
user accounts, change passwords to something you will remember, etc.

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

If you look at the instructions for creating the NTpasswd bootable cd
and/or using it and find that it is too difficult, take the machine to
a professional computer repair shop and they will be able to get into
your machine in a few minutes. This will not be your local version of
BigStoreUSA.

Malke