lost password on XP for home

[DancingGeek]

Hi,

My boss lost his administrator password. Is there any way to retrieve it without wiping out the OS?

Any help is hugely appreciated.

Thanks--
Sheri

 

[bcastner]

If you cannot logon to Safe Mode because a password was set for the Administrator and you have lost it, Forum rules prevent advising anthing other than a reinstallation. The web has other suggestions.

If you are trying an Administrator logon in Normal Mode, try Safe Mode instead.

 

[DancingGeek]

Gotcha - thanks. I know it sounds bad....and there isn't any data to speak of on this computer....just hassle factor of a reformat. I'll keep digging. I haven't seen the computer (it's at his house) so not sure about safe mode. He's not very tech savvy, so I didn't want to try to walk him through anything until I had some ideas in front of me.

Thanks-
Sheri

 

[bcastner]

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;315341

No data or applications lost. You will lose hotfixes and service packs.

Again, try Safe Mode with Administrator as logon, and just hit enter as the password. XP distinguishes between the "real" Administrator and any Administrator user.

 

[linney]

Try Safe Mode and see if you can enter the Administrator account with a blank password.


This article is not as hopeful as it sounds but have a read anyway.

321305 - 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;321305&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

305478 - HOW TO: Create and Use a Password Reset Disk for a Computer That Is Not a Domain

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;305478&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

306214 - How to create and use a password reset disk for a computer in a domain in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;306214&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

There are many sites that can help you further with lost or forgotten passwords (Google for instance) but this site for security and ethical reasons does not support that policy. Sorry about that, but if we can help in any other way please try us again.

 

[Mickerry]

Somewhat off-topic, but this issue has come up in this thread in several comments ...
How does one learn the ropes about responsible and permitted vs. not-permitted advice and comments in these forums (fora? <s>)
I seem to have tripped over one a while back without realizing it and would like to not do it again.
Mikl

 

[linney]

Mickerry,

Just like the rest of us, you learn from our and your own mistakes. We're no cleverer than anybody else, it's just we have made more mistakes along the way over a longer period of time.

 

[DTSMAN]

I have a two computer network at home and I have set both to auotadminlogon. That fixed them darn kids!! Of course I have a different user for the default user that auto logs on. Just a suggestion for a home PC that has no need for passwords for others that have this same concern.