Forgotten Windows Password

[MaximusPiper]

Ok So I went away for a few months and when I returned and tried to log onto my pc I realized that I had forgotten my password. The account is the admin account and there are no other users with admin privileges. So does anyone know how I can get some of my files such as word, excel, and pictures files off the HD. I was thinking about just placing the HD in a different computer to remove the files and then just reformat but I don?t know if I can view the files from another computer because of the password. If anyone has any ideas or a password hacking utility please help.

 

[savvy]

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=fo...windows+xp+password&btnG=Google+Search

 

[bruceb]

Before you go nuts, try it the easy way
Boot into SAFE Mode
There is a Hidden Administrator account

Login: Administrator
Password:

No entry for that field

You can then go to the User Accounts
and Reset your password there

 

[Lord Evermore]

He did mention that it was the admin account he can't remember the password for.

The admin account password is only blank if you left it that way when you installed Windows.

Of course he could just be confused and have said "the admin account" thinking his own user account was the only admin account.

 

[bruceb]

It is still worth a try .. most people Do Not go into SAFE mode
and change the Hidden Account Password .. if he did, well
then he will need to try one of the links provided by Savvy

One of them will do the trick

 

[Lord Evermore]

Actually you don't need to boot into Safe Mode to login as admin. At the welcome screen (assuming he is using it), just hit ctrl-alt-del twice to bring up the normal NT-style login prompt, and type in administrator for the username. Of course he's already got this screen if he turned off the welcome screen.

 

[LiLithTecH]

Offline NT Password & Registry Editor

is all you need....

 

[Swampster]

Repeatedly hit the F8 key during the early part of the boot process (before you get anything that says something about loading Windows). This should take you to a black/white screen and you will be able to use your keyboard's arrow keys to scroll up to Safe Mode. If it doesn't, give it a three-finger salute and try again until you see this DOS typ menu.

Hit Enter, then hit Enter again on the next screen, and it will boot to Safe Mode. On the Welcome screen you will see your account AND you will see the actual Administrator account. By default, the real Administrator account doesn't have a password (unless you gave it one when you installed the operating system), and therefor you will be able to get into Control Panel / Users / [account name] and click on Change Password.

If that doesn't work, then there are utilities that you can download and burn to a CD that will give you some DOS-type utilities and allow you to change the password from there.

 

[Slikkster]

See LiLithTecH's post above about the Offline Password Editor. Nothing more is needed.