HELP! Lost XP Admin password :(

yea somehow, i mistyped my password twice (i guess cuz i wasn't paying much attn and i typed it fast in the dark) and now i can't login to my machine. . . without buying expensive software is there anyway i can get back in without having to format? like reinstall ontop or something?.

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221 Posts
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Joined 1999-10-18
yea somehow, i mistyped my password twice (i guess cuz i wasn't paying much attn and i typed it fast in the dark) and now i can't login to my machine... without buying expensive software is there anyway i can get back in without having to format? like reinstall ontop or something?


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Responses to this topic


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1615 Posts
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Joined 2000-03-25
there is a way through the recovery console
i can't remeber exactly how it is done
i think dosfreak knows
it involes deleting a certain file which then clears the password

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1615 Posts
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Joined 2000-03-25
that is a nifty lookin program
that should work great
the way i was talking about you have to delete the sam file

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219 Posts
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Joined 2002-04-29
another alternative is a manual way to do it, but yo gotta have acces to the root of your HD (put your HD in other pc or wathever), then copy the cmd.exe to your %system% directory and rename it to logon.scr (firtsly yo have to rename the original file logon.scr to other name, so you can do it with the cmd.exe)...so at this point when your pc starts up it will open the command prompt. then type this:
 
"net user <account name> <new password>"
and that's it, a little harder than other ways but still good, so with this you can hack the system practicely

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193 Posts
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Joined 2000-02-08
All is not last yet, if you havent have turned on the encryption feature of NTFS5, your data should still be accesible although it would require reinstalltion of XP

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54 Posts
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Joined 2001-01-03
Normally you set a time limit that expires in those cases..other than that log in with another account that has admin rights then go in and reset the password in MMC or re enable the account.

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14 Posts
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Joined 2005-09-22
Hi,
 
Actually, Active@ Password Changer can easily reset your lost password. This utility saved me before, so it might really help you too. Try it, recommended.
http://www.password-changer.com/

data/avatar/default/avatar30.webp

3 Posts
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Joined 2005-10-12
Ive seen this about 3 times in the last couple weeks.
Reading What everyone has said, seem this case is more difficult.
 
 
my thought is booting to safe mode, Use "administrator" instead of admin, i couldnt tell you off hand what is available at safemode log in. Anyway ive learned(xp pro)that Removing the password Through Safe mode (f8) is possable. In order to do so effectivly you need to only REMOVE the unknown password. Then set it with the actual account of the unknown password.
 
It works, i hope this is of some help.