XP Home suddenly asking for Username and Password.

[G0AOZ]

Well respected and competent laptop user suddenly and very unexpectedly finds XP Home asks for a login Username and Password. Never been asked before... Tried all the usual ones but no joy. Laptop came brand new with XP loaded, and yes, user has recovery disk and proper licence etc., but is currently remote from home so has no facilities to tackle this. I've suggested that Winternals ERD Commander will do the trick...

However, it would be nice to understand WHY this has happened? He is positively the only user, nothing unusual took place during last usage of computer, and it shut down normally.

Anyone care to theorise on likely issues here...?

ROGER - G0AOZ.

 

[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.



Recovering a user's password. (Help and Support)

If you forget your password on a computer that is part of a workgroup or is a stand-alone computer, check your password hint. (Your password hint is located on the Welcome screen beside the password prompt.)

If you have a password reset disk, you can use it to create a new password for your account. Your personalized computer settings will be retained. For more information about using the Forgotten Password Wizard to create a password reset disk, click Related Topics.

If your password hint does not help you remember your password and you did not create a password reset disk, you will need to have someone with a computer administrator account create a new password for you. For security reasons, a computer administrator cannot recover your password if you forget it; he or she can only create a new one for you.

Note

A user with a computer administrator account can create or change passwords for all users on the computer. Users with limited accounts can create and change their own passwords, as well as create password hints.


Big Note**************

If a user with a computer administrator account changes the password for another user, that user will lose all EFS-encrypted files, personal certificates, and stored passwords for Web sites or network resources.



How to automatically log on to a user account in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;282866&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

315231 - 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

XP Home, Eliminate User Login requirement?
thread779-880540

305281 - The "Welcome" Logon Screen Does Not Appear

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;305281&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

Automatic Logon to a Windows Machine (Windows NT/2000/XP)

http://www.winguides.com/registry/display.php/13/

How to implement autologon for WinXP
FAQ779-1381

 

[G0AOZ]

Ok Linney, thanks for all that info. He has backups of important docs, so it's not a major issue - just an annoyance and a waste of time.

For my part, I'd like to understand possible causes of this scenario...

ROGER - G0AOZ.

 

[bcastner]

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=827072

 

[linney]

Causes? Who knows? It's a computer!

Often some corruption by third party programs of the MsGina.Dll may alter your logon.

The Default Windows Logon Interface May Not Appear After Installing Third-Party Program

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;302346&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

 

[psmart]

This happened to me with a ThinkPad when I installed the latest version of the IBM wireless connection manager. Apparently, the newer version of the software required a different login procedure, and modified the XP login on its own - without any warning or questions! I removed the "update" and reinstalled the original software.