Help

Last night I re-booted my PC several times, all was fine, this AM when I started the machine windows asked for my User account password. Trouble is I've never made a User password.

What could cause this, how could i restore easily.

Thanks
Rico

 

This might help, courtesy of a poster here:

Heres what you do, when you log into windows go into classic login mode by pressing ctl+alt+del, if your not already there. Then type in "administrator" as the user name. If you didn't set THE actual Admin password (as alot of people dont and set up there own account with admin rights) the password should be left blank. just hit enter and your in under the Admin account. Set up a password for that and any account your using with admin rights.

Secondly, if your in your computer and have admin rights. Select RUN type in CMD when the black CMD box appears type in "net user" (no quotes) this will give you a list of all accounts on your system, including the helpassist and support accounts. You might notice that there is an administrator account and other users. The great thing about this is you can change the passwords here without actually knowing them.
Re-type Net user followed by the account name listed and a *
example using soandso as the user name
C:\Documents and Settings\soandso>Net user soandso *
it then asks you to type in a password for the user. type carfully as you wont be able to see what you type,
Conferm that password and your done.

Look also here

Let us know if it does the trick.

philby

 

Hi Philby,

Thank You for the knowledgeable post

What I did, while waiting:

Boot from "UBCD4Win" found 'merge' my last jv16 registry backup to (thought c merge was successful. Remove boot CD & windows still asked for my password.

If I understand correctly: Having NEVER entered a user account password, I should have typed ""administrator"" for the password when windows asked for it?

When jv16 reg merge failed, I used "lastknowngood' & windows did not bother me for the silly password thing.

I then tried to do my Sunday backup & Macrium complained about, something about mft & wanted a chkdsk /f run. After that seems like things have settled down.

Thank You Very Much
Rico

 

Hello again

I'm assuming your running XP (Pro?) - I think you should have just hit Enter.

See points 1-3 here.

Glad it's sorted anyway, even if we don't really understand what happened...

philby

 

if you go in to safe mode is there an administrator account?
if so login in to it. it wont have a password on that account.
then go to control panel,users, select your user account and use the remove password option.
then restart and try to login as normal it shouldnt ask for password now.

 

Hello odore

So, for the administrator account it's:

• ctrl+alt+del twice on XP Pro
• safemode on XP Home...

...hitting Enter at password prompt in both cases...

Is this correct?

Thanks

philby

 

using eiether xp home or pro the so called "secret administrator" account should appear in safe mode and have no password. this account can be used to take passwords of other accounts and any other admin task.

 

Thanks lodore

Do you have any idea why the OP was suddenly asked for a pw? - just out of interest...

philby

 

not a clue I havent heard of the situation before.

 

Ghost in the machine then...



philby

 

Hi Guys,

I did try just <enter> on the blank password space. It would not allow access. I also tried the 'Admin' account in safe mode, windows wanted a password here & likewise, would not take a blank field. OS = XP-Home.

Thanks
Rico