Lost Admin Password

[Andrea]

HELP! Lost Admin password and no other accounts created.
How can I access XP software. Tried to format hard drive,
unsuccessfully.

 

[Nicholas]

The Windows XP CD is bootable and contains all the tools necessary
to partition and format your drive. Follow this procedure and allow
Windows XP to partition and format your drive:

1. Open your BIOS and set your CD Drive as the first bootable device.
2. Insert your Windows XP CD in the CD Drive and reboot your computer.
3. You'll see a message to boot to the CD....follow the instructions.
4. The setup menu will appear and you should elect to delete the existing
Windows partitions, then create a new partition(s), then format the primary
partition (preferably NTFS) and proceed to install Windows XP.

5. Clean Install Windows XP
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

[Courtesy of Michael Stevens, MS-MVP]

6. After installing Windows XP, be sure and visit the support website
of the manufacturer of the computer to download and install any
available Windows XP compatible drivers, such as video adapter
and audio drivers.

7. It would be best to physically disconnect all your peripheral hardware
devices, except for you mouse and keyboard, before installing XP.
After XP is installed, visit the support website of the manufacturer
of each hardware device to obtain the latest drivers or software
designed to work with Windows XP.


--
Nicholas

-------------------------------------------------------------------------


| HELP! Lost Admin password and no other accounts created.
| How can I access XP software. Tried to format hard drive,
| unsuccessfully.

 

[squidfoot]

boot to dos. delete the file in system32\config\ called sam. that will
delete the password.

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

Andrea;
Try leaving the password blank.

The password is Case Sensitive.
Check Caps Lock and try various of Capital combinations.

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=321305
If you do not have a Password Recovery Disk, it is to late to make it.
Or
Log in to any account that has Administrator access.
Then go to User Accounts in Control Panel.
Select the user and change the password.

Windows XP Pro:
At the log-in screen, press Ctrl/Alt/Del twice quickly
Type "Administrator" and leave password blank.

Windows XP Home:
Reboot, tapping F8 each second.
Select Safe Mode at the menu.
Select Administrator, leave password blank.

Then go to User Accounts in Control Panel.
Select the user and change the password.
If you are using Windows XP Pro and have encrypted data, you may
permanently lose access to the encrypted data.

Here is another option:
http://www.wininternals.com/products/repairandrecovery/index.asp

Another option is to install Windows XP on another partition and take
Ownership of your data.
You could also perform another installation on the same partition,
although this is not a permanent fix and it is recommended to perform
a Clean Installation after retrieving your data.

After this is resolved, take precautions to not lose the password.

 

[audrey]

What do you mean-boot to dos?

-----Original Message-----
boot to dos. delete the file in system32\config\ called sam. that will
delete the password.





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