Windows XP/Removing Windows Passwords

Setting Windows XP password can help us prevent others logging into our PC without permission. However, every coin has two sides. on the one hand, it helps us very much in our privacy protection. On the other hand, For the sake of carelessness or accidence, we are perplexed with the problem of losing password. Thanks to the development of technology, many tricks are available to recover a Windows XP password. In some cases, recovering from a lost password can be very easy though.

In order to show completeness, we start with the simplest tips that can help you regain access to a locked account.

Method 1: Log into an alternate account

If you have another user account or you share your computer with others, things will be much simpler. Log into the Windows with the other account and perform the following steps:

  1. Click "Start" button
  2. Click "Run"
  3. In the "Open" field, type "control userpasswords2"
  4. Click "OK"

Often many users will leave the administrator account alone and/or have other accounts with administrator rights. If you're not logging into the computer as administrator or have other accounts follow the below steps to reset your other account's password.

  • Reboot the computer into Safe Mode.
  • When logging into Safe Mode you should be prompted with an option to what account you wish to use. Select the Administrator account. If prompted for a password try simply pressing Enter on the keyboard for no password. If this does not work, try other passwords you may have used. If you're unable to log into the Administrator account skip to the next suggestion
  • Once you've logged into the Administrator account open Control Panel and User Accounts.
  • In User Accounts select the account you wish to change the password for, click change password and then enter the new password or click remove the password to remove the password from the account.

Windows opens a user accounts dialog. Select the user with the lost password and click the “Reset Password” button. Enter a new password, and click ok. Click ok once again and you are ready. Now you can log on to your account using the new password.

Method 2: Using the forgotten password diskette

If there are no other users on your machine to unlock your account, you need to boot your PC from outside your usual Windows XP environment using a boot disk or a bootable CD. But if you are not proficient with technology, it will be hard for you. How to solve this headache problem easier?

If you have forgotten your Windows XP password, but have created a forgotten password diskette earlier to use the diskette, follow the below steps.

  • At the Windows XP login prompt when the password is entered incorrectly click the reset button in the login failed window.
  • Insert the password reset diskette into the computer and click Next.
  • If the correct diskette Windows XP will open a window prompting for the new password you wish to use.

Method 3: Use a third party Windows XP password recovery tool

Of course, you will need access to another PC to create a boot disk or bootable CD. Nowadays, many tools support bootable USB. Easily burn the BIOS image file to the CD/DVD/USB Flash Drive, reboot the PC with the CD/DVD/USB Flash Drive, then you regain access to your PC. Here let’s take Windows Password Recovery Enhance for example. Only four steps, we can log into the PC again.

Step 1. Download Windows password recovery tool and install the program on the other unlocked computer.

Step 2: Burn bootable CD/DVD or USB flash drive

Step 3: BIOS setting

Step 4: Recover Windows XP password