Forgot Windows XP Password

[PeterJun21]

My Mom somehow forgot her User password for her Windows XP account so she's been using Guest login. I'm trying to install some virus and spyware removal programs since its running really slow but I'm unable to do so since its not under the administrative account. Is there a way to retrieve the password without reinstalling Windows?

 

[UsandThem]

I don't think I have seen this scenario before

Wrong forum BTW.

 

[WaTaGuMp]

Two things to try. Go to user accounts and see if you can fix it that way, or use run, then type control userpasswords2 and make it so people dont need to use a PW.

 

[cmdrdredd]

http://ebcd.pcministry.com/

use that and you can just change the password without knowing the old one.

 

[JackBurton]

To gain admin control, if this is a prebuilt OEM PC (Dell, HP, whatever) running Windows XP Pro, do Ctrl+Alt+Del twice at the login screen and it should pop up a login dialogue window. Login with the username Administrator and a blank password. Once in the admin account, you can take the password off her account. If you are runnign WIndows XP Home, you'll have to boot into safe mode to be able login with that admin account. If that doesn't work, you'll need a Windows password cracking CD or floppy. I usually use the CD version since it loads faster than a floppy.

 

[PeterJun21]

I tried login in as administrator in safe mode but that need a password as well that she doesn't know of, how do I get the CD?

 

[cmdrdredd]

Originally posted by: PeterJun21
I tried login in as administrator in safe mode but that need a password as well that she doesn't know of, how do I get the CD?

did you even look at the site I pointed to?

 

[PeterJun21]

is there a way to do it without booting with CD? My moms laptop is a Toshiba which doesn't have CD rom built in (its external)

 

[JackBurton]

Originally posted by: PeterJun21
is there a way to do it without booting with CD? My moms laptop is a Toshiba which doesn't have CD rom built in (its external)

Does it have a floppy?

 

[savvy]

Go to the BIOS to boot from the external first.