How to log on to your Windows XP-based computer if you forget your password or if your password expires..........

If you have access to another Administrator account, then you should be able to change the password of the account in question. If there's no other administrator accounts on that PC, then the options available to you would be to:

a. Reset the password.
b. Use a password recovery tool to recover the password.

Reseting the password can be done using a password reset disk, or a specialized software that forcefully resets the password. A note of warning: there should be no problems with using a Windows XP password reset disk, but be aware that using a 3rd party password reset tool might cause data loss.

The best option, then, would be option B, using a password recovery tool. One of the best free tools of this kind is Ophcrack. While I haven't used it myself, I've read some pretty good reviews of it.

Here's another trick to get back into XP only requires the XP installation CD. Used this myself many times.

1. Place your Windows XP CD in your cd-rom and start your computer (it’s assumed here that your XP CD is bootable – as it should be - and that you have your bios set to boot from CD)

2. Keep your eye on the screen messages for booting to your cd Typically, it will be “Press any key to boot from cd”

3. Once you get in, the first screen will indicate that Setup is inspecting your system and loading files.

4. When you get to the Welcome to Setup screen, press ENTER to Setup Windows now

5. The Licensing Agreement comes next - Press F8 to accept it.

6. The next screen is the Setup screen which gives you the option to do a Repair.

It should read something like “If one of the following Windows XP installations is damaged, Setup can try to repair it”

Use the up and down arrow keys to select your XP installation (if you only have one, it should already be selected) and press R to begin the Repair process.

7. Let the Repair run. Setup will now check your disks and then start copying files which can take several minutes.

8. Shortly after the Copying Files stage, you will be required to reboot. (this will happen automatically – you will see a progress bar stating “Your computer will reboot in 15 seconds”

9. During the reboot, do not make the mistake of “pressing any key” to boot from the CD again! Setup will resume automatically with the standard billboard screens and you will notice Installing Windows is highlighted.

10. Keep your eye on the lower left hand side of the screen and when you see the Installing Devices progress bar, press SHIFT + F10. This is the security hole! A command console will now open up giving you the potential for wide access to your system.

11. At the prompt, type NUSRMGR.CPL and press Enter. Voila! You have just gained graphical access to your User Accounts in the Control Panel.

12. Now simply pick the account you need to change and remove or change your password as you prefer. If you want to log on without having to enter your new password, you can type control userpasswords2 at the prompt and choose to log on without being asked for password. After you’ve made your changes close the windows, exit the command box and continue on with the Repair (have your Product key handy).

13. Once the Repair is done, you will be able to log on with your new password (or without a password if you chose not to use one or if you chose not to be asked for a password). Your programs and personalized settings should remain intact.

Great job, Josh. Thanks so much for your detailed explanation. I for one appreciate it. I have had the same problem before as spyme and probably many others. I will lock my computer with a password, so the kids won't have access. Then after a time, I will completely forget what it is or my teen has messed with it and it won't work. I have done a complete system recovery, just to reset my computer.

That is very clever!

Another way would be to use Ophcrack. It uses rainbow tables to crack the SAM file (the file in which your passwords are stored). It's based around linux, but you needn't know your way around a unix shell to crack your passwords.

You just burn the OphCrack ISO to a CD, set the BIOS of the locked-out computer to boot from CD, and insert the disk.

Dependant on the complexity of the passwords, it can take anything from 10 seconds to 10 hours to crack.

http://ophcrack.sourceforge.net/