I FORGOT MY ADMINISTRATOR PASSWORD !

[johnpease]

I EITHER FORGOT IT OR NEVER SET IT , AND WINDOWS WONT START AND I CAN'T GET ONTO THE RECOVERY CONSOLE WITHOUT A PASSWORD ! MY COMPUTER IS A PAVILION A845W WITH WINDOWS XP , AND HP NO LONGER SELLS THE RECOVERY KIT FOR THIS COMPUTER !

[Comptronic]

When it prompts for a password, don't enter anything, just hit enter.  If that doesn't work, see below methods.

There are 2 methods you can try.

Method 1 - Reset password from another Administrator account:

1. Log on to Windows by using an Administrator account that has a password that you remember. You may need to start Windows XP in Safe Mode (to boot in Safe Mode, hit F8 repeatedly at the boot up screen).
2. Click Start.
3. Click Run.
4. In the Open box, type “control userpasswords2″.
5. Click Ok.
6. Click the user account that you forgot the password for.
7. Click Reset Password.
8. Type a new password in both the New password and the Confirm new password boxes.
9. Click Ok.

Method 2 - Try command prompt for the "reset password trick":

1. Log in with any valid account.
2. Open the command prompt.
3. Type: net user (you should get a list of accounts)
4. Type: net user Administrator *
5. Type: net user (any account on that list) *
6. It prompts for a password.  Enter one, then enter it again when prompted to confirm.
7. Then try to log on as 'Administrator' with your new password.

[TheOldMan]

If that is a Windows password, then it is fairly easy to fix without recovery or reinstall.  Try the methods listed in the other post first.  If they do not fix the problem, google for password reset in WinXP or take a look at Hiren's Boot CD or Ultimate boot cd.

May need to read some to find what is needed.

[Mumbodog]

@jamesstevn

making that particular type of password reset disc on one PC will not work on another PC.

[Mumbodog]

Why is everyone posting Paid versions of this type of software, there must be 3 or 4 free softwares that do the same thing, oh SPAM!

http://sourceforge.net/projects/pcloginnow/

or do it the old fashioned way

http://reboot.pro/15751/

or

http://www.infosecisland.com/blogview/15031-How-to-Log-In-to-Windows-Without-the-Password.html

.

[fullquartpress]

One free program I used last week was able to read the /windows/system32/SAM in NTFS filesystem files, to show the users and their passwords, to blank, or reset those passwords, and then to write back the changes to the SAM in windows in NTFS.

It's a small filesize ISO to burn to a CD, or it even can fit on 1 floppy diskette, with 2 diskettes of potential drivers to find the Windows drive.

google 'NT offline', with or without the single quote marks...

[Val48]

I just reset it tonight in a hurry and didn't write it down! Later what I thought it was doesn't work! Help!

[PegB]

Will this work on a a1130n desktop?

[Mumbodog]

---

@PegB wrote:

Will this work on a a1130n desktop?

---

Yes, scroll up this page, I made an edit to my answer, there are several ways to do it for Vista or Windows 7.

[PegB]

Sorry but after I posted I realized I should have included more info.  I have an HP a1130n with XP.  I never put an adm. password in but after installing a utilities program and finding that things were not working properly my husband tried to figure out where the problem was and ended up not being able to get into XP without the password.  Help please!!!