help windows xp Pro Password/reinstallation?
821829
The previous answerer implies you can do a Repair Install.  Unfortunately, a R.I. does not change your personal settings or installed programs.  So the password issue will remain.  If your XP Pro install CD is genuine and you have the 25 digit Product Key assigned to that install disk, you could reformat (completely erase all hard drive info) and reinstall the operating system.  The actual procedure should take less than 2 hrs.  Here's a link that gives clear instructions and actual screen shots of what you will see.  I'm assuming your install disk has SP2 already on it and you have your 25 digit Product Key:\n\nhttp://www.windowsxpprofessional.windowsreinstall.com/sp2installxpcdoldhdd/indexfullpage.htm > if disk has SP2\n\nIf your install disk is so old it only has SP1 (or no service pack at all) you can use this link for instructions/screenshots:\n\nhttp://www.windowsxpprofessional.windowsreinstall.com/installxpcdoldhdd/indexfullpage.htm > disk has SP1 or no service packs\n\nOnce you've got XP installed, your work is just beginning.  You'll need to reestablish your internet connection including things like email, IM, etc. You'll need to reinstall any programs that used to be on the hard drive like antivirus, antispyware, games, office type products like word processor, spread sheets, etc.  (Hope you saved all your install disks for these programs.)  You'll also have to reinstall any USB items like printer, scanner, digital camera, card reader, external hard drive, etc.  You may have to find and install new device drivers for these add-ons.  And during the Windows Updates, you might want to be real careful that you don't accidentally install something you don't want..... like the new IE7 or Windows Media Player 11, etc.  It will be a challenge but if you are successful, you'll have a feeling of accomplishment and you'll know more about your computer than most people know about their's.\n\nplrr
909061
U want options... okay, first its windows lock down, just start the computer after the first beep hit F8 and get the Windows Advance menu, choose safe mode and see if you can get the Administrator Account to load, if you can go to Control Panel and get into User Accounts, you can change the password there, now if you can not get to the Admin I will advise a full Windows Install, CLEAN... if you can neither do that, open the system get the motherboard model lookit up in the internet for the diagram of the Systemboard and get the password jumpter to unlock the system then perform the windows installation... any other questions? Let us know!
72008
upgrade to XP, i know windows millenium is just like win98 when it comes to passwords and security
728383
I'm making a massive assumption that you are referring to MS Windows system here.  Unless there is another account in the administrators group you need the old password.  If you don't I'm afraid it's back to the Windows CD.  ...or you could try l0phtcrack - google it.  You'll need to do a bit of footwork to get at the SAM which contains the password but the advice that comes with l0phtcrack will get you through this.
768380
How do I recover my lost administrator password in Windows XP?\n\nIf you have another administrator a/c then try below steps to change your administrator user pwd.\n\n\nTo view all of the user accounts:\ntype in cmd "net users"\n\nTo change an account password:\n1) While logged onto the computer to an account that has administrative rights, click on Start>Run>and type in CMD.\n2) Type in net user then the name of the account then * and press enter. heres an example: net user administrator * or net user "Joe Smith" * . Put the name in quotes if it contains spaces.\n3) From there it should ask for a new password.\n\n\n\n\nor If you don't have another adm account.\n\n  \n  \n  \nhttp://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/pub0009/LPMArticle.asp?ID=305\n\nYou can get your solution here.
1176909
the software restore disks actually have a "password reset" option within the disk utility.  Give that a try by booting up into the CD (not your HD).
618294
If you can't remember the password, try this:\n\nReboot the computer and continuously tap the F8 key until you get a prompt that will let you boot the computer into Safe Mode.\n\nYou should see a user account called Administrator. Click on this, the password is blank/empty (no password) by default. If someone changed this password, then you're screwed and will need to either use a live linux distro to locate the SAM file and crack it - or reinstall windows xp completely (make sure you have the windows xp serial code laying around somewhere).\n\nAnyway, if you don't see the administrator account right away, click Start > Log off/log on and find it. If you have to type it in manually that will work too. If you can get into the Administrator account, you should be able to delete the old user account that you cant login to and create a new account for your friend. After that, just reboot and boot up normally.\n\nAs for identifying the computer and it's parts, download a program called CPU-Z or Belarc Advisor, they will tell you a lot of info about your computer.
1063452
Check this link out.  It will tell you what you need to do and what you need to download to accomplish recovering and/or changing your password without reinstalling WinXP.\n\nhttp://www.onecomputerguy.com/windowsxp_tips.htm#forgot_password
828637
Foramt  it using the bootable disc buddy however there is a patch in Linux for this logon problem that really works well ( I used it a while ago and I could find it else I could have passed it on ) try seraching in google for this keyword " windows logon password+Linux patch " you might get it...or betta just run recovery or format.
213460
Leave the password blank (just hit "enter") and run a repair installation.\n\n\nUPDATED RESPONSE:\n\nIf fixboot/fixmbr worked, then simply reboot. If it still doesn't boot...go back and do the same thing, except do a "repair installation" instead of running fixboot/fixmbr.\n\nHere are the instructions (with screenshots) on how to do that.\n\nhttp://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/repair_xp.htm#How%20to%20Repair%20Windows%20XP%20by%20Installing%20Over%20top%20of%20Existing%20Setup:
1175420
have you set an administrator account in the first instance..\n\nyou are on XP arent you?\n\ngo to your control panel, choose accounts, click administrator and \nset a new password..\n\nif you want to log into your administrator account from the login window, press control alt and del ... twice type your Administrator and password and voila
151924
You should be able to do one of 2 things :\n\n1] Go into safe mode for windows , to do this keep continuesly pressing F8 before it loads windows then a menu will appear allowing to choose safe mode. From there you can use system restore to restore to an earlier date. If that does not work because you have it disabled or something else then use the expand command to expand it , look here :\n\nhttp://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?act=ST&f=34&t=66521\n\nThe command or commands you can try from that site would be the following :\n\nexpand f:/I386/explorer.ex_ c:/windows/explorer.exe\n\nIf that does not work in safe mode then you need to restart your machine, go into the bios by pressing delete or F2 depending on your machine. Then from there change the boot device priority to cd rom first and then go through the steps as though you are re installing xp but when it gets to asking you what you want to do , Press R to go into the recovery console.\n\nThen Press R to go to the recovery console, if you have a password set for the admins account, you will have to enter that after pressing the number of the installation of xp you want to repair ( generally this will be 1 since you normally only have one OS installed unless you are dual booting )\n\nOnce you are in there do the command stated above in the url with regards to the expand command.\n\nIf that does not work, go back into safe mode after changing the boot order back to the hard drive as the first boot device and when back in safe mode go to start --> run and type\n\nsfc /scannow\n\nmake sure to have the xp disc handy.\n\nIf that does not fix it ( Then i will be surprised lol )\n\nAs a last resort I then suggest a repair install , guide on how to do this can be found here :\n\nhttp://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm\n\nHope this helps\n\nFYI ajabay -if he deleted explorer then windows wont load so how do you expect him to go to start --> control panel etc ??\n\nOnly way around that as far as i can tell would be to press ctrl + alt + delete when it gets to the blue screen and get that to maybe run some commands but im not sure how much that would help, if at all. I doubt it would work to say the least, anyway my above suggestions are all valid ones :)
678435
When you first got this desktop was it locked with that or did you install the option for that? If you installed it then i'm going to assume it's the one that is in the control panel in windows XP. If this is all the case then to log on you need your correct username and password and you will have to enter them rather than useing windows xp (remembering) system. If you know your password then try useing the "Administrator" username try uppercase Administrators" and lowercase "administrator" if that doesn't work try "admin" and "Admin" if you don't know your password then(assuming you have windows xp) try doing a system restore on your computer by pressing F8 when your system starts, keep pressing F8 till a menu appears then "System Restore" should be somewhere on that list.  Hope i'm somewhere on the right track here.
1067285
What OS??\n\nWindows 98, you don't need to know it.  But, you can delete the password file once you are in.\n\nFor XP/2000, you may need to get into the Command prior to Windows loading.  Just before the BIOS screen changes, start pressing the F8 key to get to the options.  If you can get to the Command prompt without the Password, then you can get rid of the Password.\n\nYou will need to get to the root that holds the Password file, but it can be deleted from there.\n\nIf you cannot get around the password, you will need to reload Windows 2000/XP.
886152
you can buy a program for 2 dollars on ebay\n\nhttp://cgi.ebay.com/WINDOWS-XP-pro-home-PASWORD-RECOVERY-hp-dell-ibm-ORIG_W0QQitemZ250050318522QQihZ015QQcategoryZ140070QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
485630
If you can login to safe-mode (by clicking F8) when the computer turns on and logging in as Administrator and going that route.\n\nHowever, if you cannot login as administrator, search the internet for Hirens Boot CD and make a disc. The hirens disc as numerous usefull utilities including a password reset for XP. Good Luck!
474549
There is a system restore on your computer you can restore it to a time that had it the way it used to be (I hope I am clear with this). I have had to do that as well and it worked for me. If not then you need to clean your system and go to windows online and there are some forums there with anwsers there that will help its full of windows geeks and they are helpfull as well with this. If you cant restore this then you may have to delete it and reload it on the computer. I am sorry I am new to windows XP PRO myself but I had this problem last month and I jsut did a total system restore and it worked.