username/password

[Jo Ann]

When we got our computer the username/password
was "Home/Home" but when it said to my 11 year old
daughter that the password had expired and would she like
to change it of course she said YES and changed it. Now
we can't get into the computer at all because we don't
know that information. Is there a way I can change it
back? I hope someone can help us out here. Thanks

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

When we got our computer the username/password
was "Home/Home" but when it said to my 11 year old
daughter that the password had expired and would she like
to change it of course she said YES and changed it. Now
we can't get into the computer at all because we don't
know that information. Is there a way I can change it
back? I hope someone can help us out here. Thanks

You can reset the password to a blank with this boot
disk: http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/bootdisk.html
This is a scary procedure. To avoid similar mishaps, plan
ahead and create a second admin account, and lock its
password away. It's the same as with your house key:
Would you give your one and only key to your 11 year
old daughter? Probably not . . .

 

[Jo Ann]

THis is not a computer that is hooked up for the
internet. My daughter uses it for games, type to learn
and playing school!! Any other suggestions? You can't
change it by going into safe mode or anything like that or
could I just reload windows 2000? I am sure there is no
work that can't be lost.
JO Ann

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Here are a few methods that do not require access to
the Internet:
- Try logging on as "administrator" with a range of passwords
such as "password", "admin", or a blank password.
- Make a Win98 boot disk at your work place (www.bootdisk.com),
boot the PC with it, then rename c:\winnt\system32\config\sam to
"sam.old". This will let you log on as "administrator", with a blank
password. This will only work if drive C: is a FAT32 drive.
- Boot the machine with your Win2000 CD, then allow the disk
to be formatted before reloading Windows. You will have to
reload all your applications.

The last suggestion is rather over the top. It would be simpler
for you to make the boot disk I mentioned in my first post,
possibly at your work place, then reset the administrator's
password.