How to Change a Windows XP Lost Password

Sunday morning. You just had your breakfast, now you're settling in to check your e-mail. A fatal error occurred and administrative access is required to fix it. So you prepare to log in to the administrative account on your computer, and find that the account is password protected, and you can't remember that, since it was probably several months since you installed Windows. You may be thinking "What can I do to change the password or just get administrative access?" Here's one way you can get back in!

EditSteps

1. 1
   When you installed Windows XP (or when the people who sold you the computer installed it), it created an administrative account automatically. This account has NO password by default, and can be used to access everything in the computer. By accessing it, you can change any password on the system.
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2. 2
   Log out all limited user accounts. When a limited user account is logged in, it prevents you from accessing the classic log-in dialogue.
3. 3
   Press CTRL+ALT+DEL twice. Make sure you are at the log-in dialogue. When you do this, the screen will flicker, and you will see the classic log-in that existed on earlier versions of Windows.
4. 4
   Log in to the administrative account. Change the username in the dialogue to "Administrator", and press ENTER or click OK.
5. 5
   Open up the command shell. Press START, click RUN, and type in CMD, press ENTER. This will bring up a window likely unfamiliar to you. This is the command line, it allows you to manage files or change settings without restriction (no restriction on the administrative account). Before the graphical environment of Windows, this is what Microsoft users used.
6. 6
   Change the password of the account. Type in (without the quotes, and yes, the asterisk (*) is necessary) "net user (username) *". It will ask you to type in a password, then to retype it. You just changed the password!
7. 7
   Log in. Exit the command shell dialogue, don't type in anything else if you don't know what you're doing, you could really hose down your computer. Log out of the administrative account, then log back in to your account with the new password.
8. 8
   3rd party utilities There are many 3rd party utilities which can recover forgotten Windows password.

EditChange Windows XP Password with No Data Loss

1. 1
   Open "Control Panel".
2. 2
   Click on "User Account".
3. 3
   Select the account you want to set a new password.
4. 4
   Click "changing Account " and "set up password", then fill out the form as listed. Click "Create Password".
   • Thus, you have a personal login ID and Password, any one has no right to login to your computer with out this info.

EditChange Windows XP Password with Windows Login Recovery

1. 1
   Download Windows Login Recovery and install it on a computer.
2. 2
   Run the software and create a password reset CD/DVD or password reset USB flash drive.
3. 3
   Change the BIOS setting of your locked computer to make it boot from the CD-ROM or USB drive. (Start computer and press F2 or Delete to enter BISO setup)
4. 4
   Boot your locked computer from the created disk and remove the password
5. 5
   Log on your computer and create a new password.

EditWindows Password Breaker for Windows XP password reset

1. 1
   Download and install Windows Password Breaker on an available computer.
2. 2
   Run the program and burn a password reset CD/DVD or USB flash drive.
3. 3
   Set your locked computer to boot from CD/DVD or USB.
4. 4
   Reset your forgotten or lost password.
5. 5
   Log on your computer with no password.