Where's the password for this one?

[G0AOZ]

HP laptop had been used daily with hibernate for several months without problems. All of a sudden at switch on it asks for a password with the classic user logon box. User has no idea! Tried all the usual ones, and even tried Administrator account.

As nothing was left "open", system was "crashed up" using F8 key. Selected username, and rolled straight in without a password. No classic login this time.

I have tried to reproduce this scenario with a test PC, but no joy. Anyone suggest where that password was likely hidden, and why it appeared with a classic logon when that was never changed by the user?

ROGER - G0AOZ.

 

[linney]

Is it still asking for a password in Normal Mode after the Safe Mode experience?

Any passwords mentioned as per this article?

How to turn on automatic logon in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;315231&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

Perhaps the machine is just desperate for a few old fashioned reboots now and again?

Any Group Policy forcing "change of passwords" etc?

 

[G0AOZ]

No, after "crashing" it out of hibernate mode, the system hasn't asked for a password since. The actual message (in Classic logon style) that appeared was this:-

The computer is in use and has been locked.
Only TEST\USER or an administrator can unlock this computer.

Username: USER
Password:

I achieved the "crashing out" by hitting <F8> immediately following POST. This produced the following screen with two menu options:-

System restart has been paused:

Continue with system restart
Delete restoration data and proceed to system boot menu.

I choose the latter, and it then appeared to roll into Windows in Normal mode, with the XP default Welcome screen, whereby one mouse click on the appropriate account brought up the Desktop.

Have read the article, but unable to check as machine now back with user desperate to do some work! Ditto re Group Policy suggestion, although unlikely as machine only ever used in home environment. However, no passwords were necessary to ordinarily log on.

I did notice that under Power Options, Advanced, the Prompt for password when computer resumes from Standby was ticked. However, this machine didn't appear to be going into Standby. It clearly stated on the screen that it was going into Hibernate.

Maybe another one of Micrsoft's little mysteries...

ROGER - G0AOZ.