can't login Windows XP !!!

[ktnwin]

I have a new Dell system at home (WinXP home edition) that has been running well for the last few weeks. Last night, I decided to set a password for my account (the only one with Admin privilege).

WinXP asks me to type in the password twice which I did. I use this password at other places (computers at work) so the change for typing in the wrong password twice is virtually none.

After reboot, I type in the password but it says it's the wrong password.
Now, my new PC is very much useless as I can't log in at all. Stupid me.

Is there any way to correct this ? (besides re-install WinXP from scratch).

I appreciate any idea from all of you.

Thanks in advance.

[reboot]

At the login screen, hit CTRL+ALT+DEL (maybe twice) and log in as Administrator.
Reset your password on your account.
Try it again.

[Sasha]

Yes, CTRL+ALT+DEL twice to get to a prompt where you can type in Administrator and the appropriate password.

[tmaxwell2435]

http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/

[ktnwin]

So are you saying that I just need to log in as Administrator and its associated password (which should be blank as I never touch it) ?

Please confirm.

As I mentioned before, when I first power up the system, WinXP go thru some minimum set up which ask me to also setup user account, and I setup ONE user account without password. Last night, I setup password for my account and after that, I can't login (most likely I type in the password wrongly twice when I create it).

[erdons]

When you start your computer press F8 and you should get an option to go into safe mode, once in safe mode you dont need to put in a password, just go to the users and remove the password from the name thats giving you trouble logging in.

[ktnwin]

I will give that a try this evening.
That will save me a lot of time.

Thanks a bunch.

[waheed]

When you start your computer press F8 and you should get an option to go into safe mode, once in safe mode you dont need to put in a password, just go to the users and remove the password from the name thats giving you trouble logging in.

Kinda defeats the purpose of having a password in the first place, doesn't it.

[Marty2003]

This might be a stupid suggestion, but are you sure caps lock is off.

[ViRaL1]

It's kind of sad that most people aren't aware of this. It's a sort of back door. But it comes in handy at times. Although I DO advise setting an administrator password on your own system, especially if others have access to it.

[ktnwin]

I have taken all the precautions when I set the password. I used something that I always use before in other PCs, I typed it in twice (in order to set password, this is a must by WinXP).

I never saw the Administrator account as WinXP does not show it as long as there is at least one user account.

I believe that even in the Safe mode, you still have to log in as the Administrator. I hope I am wrong. I also hope that the password for Administrator is either blank or "password".

CAP locks is not an issue here. I tried pretty hard (cap lock, non cap lock, tried a few letters that are closed to my real password, etc...).

It was late last night. I should have done this:
1) create one more account with Admin privilege, no password (MOST CRUCIAL ONE !!!)
2) set password for my account
3) test to login to my account

Forgot step #1, and now I am hosed. Step #1 allows me to log in and change the password for my account again.

[ktnwin]

[/quote]When you start your computer press F8 and you should get an option to go into safe mode, once in safe mode you dont need to put in a password, just go to the users and remove the password from the name thats giving you trouble logging in[/quote]

THAT WORKS LIKE A CHAMP. I AM TOTALLY RELIEVED.

Thanks so much for this great tip. Indeed, it's a nice backdoor to have.

[/quote]

[ViRaL1]

By default the Administrator password is blank in XP Home, and the Administrator account only shows up in Safe Mode. It's great that it's there when you need it, the downside is that it's also there whenver anyone else needs it if you haven't already set the password.

[ktnwin]

I have tried the CTRL_ALT_DEL (twice) to get the normal logon screen. However, I cannot enter blank as password for Administrator.
Anyway, now that I have two user accounts (with Admin privilege) with log-in passwords. I can certainly set the password for Administrator.

This will prevent some (visitors) kids to download all kind of games to my system. They already did that to my older PC, everytime they left, I need to cleanup my PC. Recently, they always come with their own laptops to play game among themselves, but who knows.

[Musty_Hustla]

crazy kids grrrr