Re: Don't know password

From: Alex Nichol (alexn.mvpdts_at_ntlworld.delete.com)
Date: 12/05/04 

Date: Sun, 05 Dec 2004 12:05:41 +0000

dnamertz wrote:

>I have been using WindowsXP on my computer for 2 years and never had to use a
>password to log-in. It has always gone straight to the desktop when I turned
>on the computer until this morning. This morning it asked me to chose which
>user I want to log-in as, but did not ask for a password. I don't know why
>it asked this after 2 years of not asking...I must have changed the settings
>somehow. So I tried to change the settings in Windows so I would not have to
>chose a user each time I turned on the computer. Well, the next time I
>turned it on, Windows was asking for a password before it will do anything
>else. I have never had a password (as far as I can remember) and I know no
>way around it...so I can not use my computer

First: this is where the hidden account called 'Administrator' comes in.
Boot, hitting F8 as BIOS info goes to black to get the Menu and take
Safe Mode. That should then at 'Welcome' include an icon for
'Administrator'; if not hit CTL-ALT-DEL twice to get a logon dialog,
enter the explicit name
Administrator
and assume that password is null, so Enter immediately. From that,
Start - Run and run
control userpasswords2
and you can select any user account and Reset Password

Once done, the original matter ware probably a result of the ASPNet
account set up by the upgrade that installs the '.NET Framework'. Use
TweakUI - one of the XP Powertoys from (if you have installed XP SP1)
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/downloads/powertoys.asp

Its Logon page uncheck 'Show ASPNet on Welcome screen', leaving just the
account(s) you want to see there as having its instance checked 

-- 
Alex Nichol MS MVP (Windows Technologies)
Bournemouth, U.K.  Alexn@mvps.D8E8L.org (remove the D8 bit)

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