Forgot windows password

[Aria5]

:dunno:

I forgot the password to the only account on the other computer. I've tried downloading programns to reset/retrieve it and burning it to a disk, but it isn't working.

I think it's either a problem with the burning or booting. I'm using "Burn4free" to burn an ISO image to the CD. Then when the computers starting up I press F8 and tell it to reboot, but it will just return to the login screen.

Help? I can't reinstall windows since I have all the files for my art commissions on there, and on top of that I wouldn't know where the disks to reinstall it are.

[warlordste]

have you tryed seeing if you still got the built in admin account active try pressing crt al del twice till you get the logo screen type adminstator as you user name and no password and u then have full access but it only works on professional hope this helps if not al let you no 2moz when i speak to me cisco teacher coz i can't remeber another way

[Loneua Technologies]

Try this,

Click F11 before the computer boots windows, go into safe mode,

Then from safe mode login as the administrator, no password. Then simply

change the password to that account.

[Aria5]

Try this,

Click F11 before the computer boots windows, go into safe mode,

Then from safe mode login as the administrator, no password. Then simply

change the password to that account.

Well, I was able to get into safe mode with administrator. I get a black screen with a prompt.

[kkenny]

What type of safe mode did you select, cause I think you chose MS-Dos or something.

[alexandgruntz]

If you have XP Pro, it's not necessary to boot into Safe Mode to get into the Admin account. ;)

[kkenny]

If you have XP Pro, it's not necessary to boot into Safe Mode to get into the Admin account. ;)

That's if you don't use the XP style login. Because in the XP Default style, there is no user field, all you can do is select a user (admin is hidden by default) and enter the password then press enter to login.

[sunils]

There is another way also to remove all the users and password in a computer.
The usename and password details are stored in a file called SAM.

If you can really handle XP well, then you can try this.
Try this only if you have the courage to do it.
You are solely responsible for what you are doing. This is the trick which i do often. But this can turn out bad if you are not doing it in a stand alone pc.

If you want to play safer
(1).boot the system using xp cd.
(2).follow the instruction as you would do during installation.
(3).After the lisence agreement screen comes. press f8 to accept the lisence agreement.
(4).in the next screen it shows you that already a windows xp version is present it on the computer.
(5).At the bottom you can see it will ask you to press a button to repair.
(6).press that button.
(5). Now everything will run similar to that of installing a fresh copy of xp.
(6) But donot worry, your data and installed software will not be affected.
(7).Since everything is done similar to fresh xp installation, it will ask for computer name, administrator password. new user name etc.


Now the procedure. (Warning still stands).
If you dont have a dual boot,
(1). use a boot disc or create one with you friends help
(2).Once booting is done, you will get a command prompt.
(3).navigate to C:\WINDOWS\system32\config
(4).delete the file called SAM. Use dir to see it.
(5).Reboot the system.


If you have a dual boot,
(1).go to that os
(2).navigate to <xp drive>:\WINDOWS\system32\config
(3).delete the file called SAM.
(4).Reboot the system.

[wolf693]

Not exactly sure whether this works from command prompt only (not having to login then run cmd) but you can try this.

First, you need to start command prompt by holding down F11 (or one of the function keys, not sure which one!) at startup, then select "Command Prompt Only" from the screen that pops up. After that starts type "NET ACCOUNTS <account name> *" You should get a password form... Just change the password and you're good to go!

Again, not sure whether this is possible from startup as it's been a while since I've ever had the need to do this!

[warlordste]

no you don't press crtl alt and del twice and u get the widows log in box where u type the user name