XP Pro wants a p/w to start up. I don't have one?

[Guest]

My daughter runs XP Pro and cannot get into her PC because, out of the blue,
when she switches on Windows wants a password. She has never been asked this
before and doesn't have p/w???

 

[Curt Christianson]

What happens i she ignore the password request, and just hits "Enter"
without one?

--
HTH,
Curt

Windows Support Center
www.aumha.org
Practically Nerded,...
http://dundats.mvps.org/Index.htm

| My daughter runs XP Pro and cannot get into her PC because, out of the
blue,
| when she switches on Windows wants a password. She has never been asked
this
| before and doesn't have p/w???

 

[mikeygd]

Do u get prompted for a username as well?

 

[Guest]

Nothing. What's more it is asking for a 'username' and password. She has
never had to fill this in before. It was working fine this morning???

 

[mikeygd]

Have you tried administrator and a blank password?
Also when you set up the PC it would of asked you for a user name? If you can remember this try this i.e Lucy and a blank password.
At least this way yo may be able to get into the machine and see what settings have been changed such as another account being created.

 

[Gordon]

Nothing. What's more it is asking for a 'username'

the username is the name of her account......

and password.

And if she has never set one then there isn't one....

 

[Alan]

Hi Curt,

Try this. Click Start | Run and type "control userpasswords2" (without the
quotes) in the Open: window.

In the General Tab near the top there is a line that reads: "Users must
enter a name and password to use this computer." If there is a tick mark in
the check box next to this line, de-select it, and click on the Apply and OK
buttons.

Reboot and see if this fixes it.

Alan

 

[Alan]

Hi krisani,

I meant to address my reply to you rather than to Curt Christianson. Please
see my instructions in that reply to him.

Alan

 

[Guest]

Hi Alan,

Thanks for the info but XP will not load because it wants those details.
Thus she can't get as far as the 'run' command.

 

[Gordon]

Hi Alan,

Thanks for the info but XP will not load because it wants those details.
Thus she can't get as far as the 'run' command.

If a password has never been set, then just press "enter".....

 

[Jim]

If a password has never been set, then just press "enter".....

Is it possible that, by now, the number of failed login attempts have caused
XP to lock the account?
If so, then the OP should try logging into the administrator account in Safe
Mode.
Jim

 

[Guest]

Yes Gordon, thanks for that. I get the message - if a password has not been
set, Windows cannot ask for one? Unfortunately I, as I am sure are you, am
aware that logic does not always follow with any PC related problem.
This morning my daughters PC worked fine. She had a problem with her
internet connection playing up so she did what you or I might do - viz. she
switched the 'damn' thing off and started again. When the PC tried to start
up (XP Pro) it asked for a username and password, something that it had never
asked for before because one has not been set.

 

[Elmo]

Yes Gordon, thanks for that. I get the message - if a password has not been
set, Windows cannot ask for one? Unfortunately I, as I am sure are you, am
aware that logic does not always follow with any PC related problem.
This morning my daughters PC worked fine. She had a problem with her
internet connection playing up so she did what you or I might do - viz. she
switched the 'damn' thing off and started again. When the PC tried to start
up (XP Pro) it asked for a username and password, something that it had never
asked for before because one has not been set.

So, the default user name is probably damaged. Start in Safe Mode, and
select the Administrator account. Then use Control Panel's Users applet
to change the account, make a new account, or whatever it takes to get
it going. Once a new account is up and running, ask for advice on moving
the preferences from the old account to the new account. I've seen the
subject mentioned here, just don't know the details myself.

hth,

 

[Patrick Keenan]

Yes Gordon, thanks for that. I get the message - if a password has not
been
set, Windows cannot ask for one? Unfortunately I, as I am sure are you, am
aware that logic does not always follow with any PC related problem.
This morning my daughters PC worked fine. She had a problem with her
internet connection playing up so she did what you or I might do - viz.
she
switched the 'damn' thing off and started again. When the PC tried to
start
up (XP Pro) it asked for a username and password, something that it had
never
asked for before because one has not been set.

It does sometimes happen that XP suddenly decides an account had a password,
and asks for it. This isn't really a good sign for the condition of the
system or account, but you should be able to restart in Safe Mode, (assuming
it's XP Home), go to the Administrator account, and then remove the password
from the user account.

Restart in regular mode and all should be well, but take it as a sign to
check your backups.

HTH
-pk

 

[Guest]

Thanks Patrick. I keep telling her about backups - but at 32yrs they still
know better! We'll try that and let you know if it's successful.
Regards,

Krisani.

 

[Patrick Keenan]

Thanks Patrick. I keep telling her about backups - but at 32yrs they still
know better! We'll try that and let you know if it's successful.
Regards,

Krisani.

Sorry, I neglected to mention one other thing, though it only applies to XP
Pro, and then, it's only a problem if the user invoked encryption (not
available on XP Home), and if the user didn't back up the account
certificates - as many don't.

Changing the password as described will instantly cause encrypted data to be
permanently lost. It'll still be there, but it can never be decrypted.
Of course, the fact that the account was probably damaged made it likely
that the data was already gone.

The only thing to do in that case is to import the account certificates from
the backups. If they weren't made, all you can do is move on.

HTH
-pk