[chicken_choker]

Hi i've been asked by my wife to try and bypass / reset one of her work's xp pc's password. A member of her staff set a login xp password, and has left the company and will not divulge the password!

Any ideas?
best regards.

[jrfree1]

The easiest way that I know is to use a Linux boot disk with NTFS support and a password reset program on it. These are freely available on the web and they modify the registry directly. Generally you will boot with the Linux boot disk, the reset program will automatically run and read the registy showing you what users are listed, you then select the user and change the password. I have used this method on a number of computers running XP and never had any problem

*Note: Modifying the windows registry always entails some risk. It is advisable to make backups before attempting registry changes.

[SCgone]

I don't suppose the default admin password would still be good. That would be using Administrator for the username and leaving the password blank.
If that doesn't work, go here and download ERD. It's a bootable CD which contains Locksmith. That will allow you to reset the administrator password. They will send you an email with a five day unrestricted key.

[chicken_choker]

Thanks you guys, i'll get a Linux boot disk first to try, then the trial of ERD.
Respect to you.

Dave.

[NT50]

I have successfully used the NT Password disk via Linux boot everytime and have never had a crash. Here is the only problem I know of. If the person applied the password and had there directory encrypted, then after you reset the password you will not be able to get inot the directory.

[Elabro]

Greetings,

I suppose Active@ password changer can help. That is a small and really useful tool to reset lost password. I've used it before and it never failed. I recommend you give it a closer look.

http://www.password-changer.com/

[NT50]

Greetings,

I suppose Active@ password changer can help. That is a small and really useful tool to reset lost password. I've used it before and it never failed. I recommend you give it a closer look.

http://www.password-changer.com/

Looks interesting. But it is $$$$$$

[NT50]

one more thing though NT50.. if the person upped the security on that pc with NTLM instead of LanMan, it *can* fail...

Yep you are SOOOO right. When I use this disk to reset a password I always get written permission on paper to do so. One of those CMA things.

Right now I have a hard time reseting passwords on Sata systems

[kd1966]

guess that's like a CYA.............lol

[JabbaPapa]

Hmmm..... manually backup Registry and User Data (by putting the hard drive into another computer, and manually copying the relevant files to a backup folder on the drive), do a clean install (without formatting, then put the backup files into the new installation ???

You may potentially have to use some trick to access the User profile folder in a different computer...