Lost windows password? 3

[adam1232]

I am the main user on my computer. I have windows 98 and I forgot my windows password. I know you can find the password files in the windows directory on windows 95,
but HOW DO I CHANGE IT IN WINDOWS 98?
thanksa

 

[TigerFlight]

Do a search in dos for (dir/s *.pwl). Delete them and then log on. Enter a new one or not, up to you. Tigerflight

 

[adam1232]

great I will try that, Do you know if that works on the newer OS's like xp & ME versons, because I have run into that as well?

Thanks
Adam

 

[wolluf]

Works on ME, but not on XP/2K/NT which are designed to be secure.

 

[TigerFlight]

Did not know that. I''ll have to check into it. But it does work on 98. That is what he is using. Tigerflight

 

[Wirdo]

At log-on, when the logon dialog box appears, choose Cancel or hit esc. Now open Explorer to the main Windows folder and scroll through the files until you find one that contains all or part of your user name and ends in the .PWL extension (or just do a search for it *.pwl). Delete this file click Start>Shut Down and select the option to log on as a different user. When Win98 reboots, you will have the opportunity to establish a new and different password. Kinda late as well but incase you forget again you can do it this way without a tool.

 

[winfix]

TigerFlight,

I did what you suggested but being a novice DOS user I have a couple of questions.

1. How do I boot up my machine right into DOS

2. When I find the "dir/s *.pwl how do I delete the pwl in dos.

Thanks for your help

 

[BuckeyeComputers]

windows 98 allows you to boot to dos by holding the ctrl key after memory count to see the boot menu choose option 5 command promt only. type "cd windows" without the quotes this iis the directory where the files are and then type "dir *.pwl" without the quotes this will show all the password files locate the username that is used to log on the type "del username.pwl" without the quotes then restart

 

[winfix]

My continued login problem.

Turns out my notebook has some pre-boot bios software named "Insyde Software SCU" the company is located in Ma.

The password login comes on even before the memory boot and looks like a dos-type login. I tried taking out the hard-drive and hoping it would boot from the floppy but no luck.

what can I do...............