Windows XP Password Recovery

Password Recovery

Worried about remembering your password? Create a hint to help you when you initially create it by following the prompts during setup. XP stores the password hints in the Registry at Hkey_local_machine\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Hints.

What if the hint doesn't help? Any user or Administrator can create a password reset disk, which you can use to log on and create a new password. Go to Control Panel > User Accounts and select "Prevent a forgotten password" in the Related Tasks box on the left. Follow the wizard's instructions. After creating the disk, find a safe place for it. Don't forget the password or where you put the disk. Someone else could use it to change your password without you knowing it.

Create a Password Reset Disk

Microsoft has enhanced security features in XP including the the ability to create a floppy diskette to recover your password incase it is forgotten.
• Click Start
• Click Control Panel
• Click User Accounts
• Click on the account which you want to create a password disk
• Click Prevent a forgotten password which starts the Forgotten Password Wizard . This is found under Related Tasks
• Insert a blank, formatted disk into drive A, and click Next
• Enter the password in the Current user account password box

To use the recovery disk, at the Welcome screen

• Click the user name whose password is on the recovery disk
• Click the question mark button
• This causes the “Did you forget your password?” message to appear.
• Click use your password reset disk
• This will start the Password Reset Wizard.

From this point, just follow the wizard's instructions and you will be able to set a new password. It is different if you are part of a domain, see next tip.

How to Create a Password Reset Disk for computers that are part of a domain

Note that this procedure requires one blank, formatted floppy disk.

To create a password reset disk for your local user account:
1. Press CTRL+ALT+DELETE. The Windows Security dialog box appears.

2. Click Change Password . The Change Password dialog box appears.

3. In the Log on to box, click the local computer. For example, click Computer (this computer) .

4. Click Backup . The Forgotten Password Wizard starts.

5. On the "Welcome to the Forgotten Password Wizard" page, click Next .

6. Insert a blank, formatted disk in drive A, and then click Next .

7. In the Current user account password box, type your password, and then click Next . The Forgotten
Password Wizard creates the disk.

8. When the progress bar reaches 100 percent complete, click Next , and then click Finish . The Forgotten Password Wizard quits and you return to the Change Password dialog box.

9. Remove, and then label the password reset disk. Store the disk in a safe place.

10. In the Change Password dialog box, click Cancel .

11. In the Windows Security dialog box, click Cancel.

If you forget your password, you can log on to the computer with a new password that you create by using the Password Reset Wizard and your password reset disk.

To gain access to your local user account on a computer that is a member of a domain, or has been disconnected from a domain:

1. In the Welcome to Windows dialog box, press CTRL+ALT+DELETE.

2. In the Log On to Windows dialog box, type an incorrect password in the Password box, and then click OK .

3. In the Logon Failed dialog box that appears, click Reset . The Password Reset Wizard starts. The Password Reset Wizard lets you create a new password for your local user account.

4. On the "Welcome to the Password Reset Wizard" page, click Next .

5. Insert the password reset disk in drive A, and then click Next .

6. On the "Reset the User Account Password" page, type a new password in the Type a new password box.

7. Type the same password in the Type the password again to confirm box.

8. In the Type a new password hint box, type a hint that will help you remember the password if you
forget it. NOTE : This hint is visible to anyone who attempts to log on to the computer by using your user account.

9. Click Next , and then click Finish . The Password Reset Wizard quits and you return to the Log On to Windows dialog box. The password reset disk is automatically updated with the new password information. You do not have to create a new password reset disk.

10. In the Log On to Windows dialog box, type your new password in the Password box.

11. In the Log on to box, click the local computer. For example, click Computer (this computer) , and then click OK . You are logged on to the local computer with your local account information.

Stop Password Expiration

After you have run Windows XP for a while, you may receive this message when you log on: "Your password will expire in 14 days.....".

By default, Windows XP is set up with passwords which will expire after 42 days. 14 days in advance, Windows will start warning you of this fact. If you do not want your passwords to expire:
1. Go to Start > Run and in the Open: box type control userpasswords2
2. Select the Advanced tab in the User Accounts window
3. Press the Advanced button below the Advanced user management header
4. Select Users in the Local Users and Groups
5. In the right pane, right-click the user name for which you want to change the setting, and select Properties
6. On the General tab, check Password never expires
Click Apply and OK (all the way out)

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