Changing Access Password for XP

  • Thread starter Thread starter Robby Johnson
  • Start date Start date
R

Robby Johnson

Help! I got a new PC about six months ago and the old one was set aside for
an administrative assistant, who has just been hired and started today.

I booted up the PC and the log-in password that I remembered (I changed it
to "password") is apparently incorrect and I cannot figure out what to do.
If I hit cancel, it doesn't boot up to Windows. If I reboot with an F10 to
go into setup, it doesn't ever boot up.

How do I change the password for logging on?

Thanks,

Robby
 
We need to know precisely what it is you are talking about. If you cannot
boot the system and don't come to a Windows screen with Users listed or that
brings up a password box, then it sounds as though you've set the password
in the system BIOS. I'm assuming F10 is the specified key on the first
screen that gets you into your system's BIOS as I'm unfamiliar with any F10
command required by XP.

If you set a system password in the BIOS and have forgotten it, there are no
XP tools to resolve it. The usually fix for a forgotten BIOS password is to
remove the CMOS battery for about 10 minutes, then put it back in and boot
the system. This will reset all CMOS settings to their defaults but it will
also erase any password set in the BIOS, you'll also lose any information on
the system as well.

If you actually mean a password you set for XP, try the following for a lost
or forgotten password:
If you have XP Pro on your computer, at the log in screen type
ctrl-alt-delete
twice. In the user account type administrator, leave the password blank and
press enter. You likely didn't create a password for this hidden account
during setup and if the computer was purchased with XP pre-installed it
doesn't likely have one either,

If you have Home, boot into Safe Mode (F8 after the post test and before
Windows starts. Once Windows starts loading, you've missed it and will have
to try again). You'll have an option to log on as Administrator. Again,
the same procedure, you'll be asked to log in to get into safe mode, type
administrator, leave the password blank and press enter.

This will get you in. Then go to Control Panel, user accounts, select the
specific user and select change password. Once you've changed the password
it would be advisable to create a Password Reset Disk by clicking "Prevent a
Forgotten Password" link in the left pane.
 
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