Microsoft XP PRO Logon
We recently needed to relocate a computer and after setting it back up we received a prompt from Microsoft to enter a password from a former employee. We never set an administrator up on the computer, but we continue to get prompted to login under this former employees login name and we do not have their password. When we switch to administrator and just hit enter it tells us password invalid. HELP! I have a big project that was due yesterday trying to make sure I can finish this weekend. 1 person needs an answerI do too
May 22nd, 2010 1:59pm
I didn't quite follow what you did, but if you have forgotten your password, if you have another user account with administrative privileges you can log into that account and change your original user account's password from the User Accounts applet in Control Panel. If you don't have another account like this set up or don't have the password to it, you'll need to log into the built-in Administrator account. In XP Home, boot the computer into Safe Mode. Do this by repeatedly tapping the F8 key as the computer is starting up. This will get you to the right menu. Navigate using your Up arrow key; the mouse will not work here. Once in Safe Mode, you will see the normally hidden Administrator account. The default password is a blank.In XP Pro, you do not need to go into Safe Mode. At the Welcome Screen, do Ctrl-Alt-Del twice to get the classic Windows logon box. Type in "Administrator" and whatever password you assigned when you set up Windows.If you have XP Pro or Media Center and were using the built-in Administrator account for your regular work and it is therefore the only user account on the system, there are ways to change the password for that account to a blank. Microsoft doesn't permit us to tell you how in these forums. Their house, their rules. Use Google or ask a local computer tech (not a BigComputerStore/GeekSquad type of place).MS-MVP - Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!
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May 22nd, 2010 7:42pm