I relocated and, because of that, had my desktop packed for a long time.   Finally was able to put it together again but, for some reason, the password I tought was registered is not working.
Unfortunately, I never made that "password reset disk" so cannot pass through the freaking Win XP logon.

After a Google search I found several suggestions on how to break through the password.

Some methods, like trying to login in safe mode as administrator is not working.   By the way, I never created users.   Always logged as administrator and my Win XP has the Service Pack 2.

Found several software in the Internet but not sure on how reliable they are or if they can screw-up something in my HDD.   Despite having backups I'd like to avoid having to install everything again, since they are not up to date.  

Anybody ever had this problem and recommend a safe way to go through the password?
My laptop is running Win 2000 so I do not think it will help.   However, if serial number is not an issue I think I can create a password reset disk in a friend's computer running XP.

Thanks much in advance!

Get yourself a copy of a live copy of linux like knopix and then you can access your drive and modify your sam file.  Ill let you look up the rest of this since this is considered hacking which is bad.  

happened to me once, just reformatted the damn drive rather than go through the whole password cracking trouble...

good thing is i have auto backup on an external drive

Quoted: I relocated and, because of that, had my desktop packed for a long time.   Finally was able to put it together again but, for some reason, the password I tought was registered is not working. Unfortunately, I never made that "password reset disk" so cannot pass through the freaking Win XP logon. After a Google search I found several suggestions on how to break through the password. Some methods, like trying to login in safe mode as administrator is not working.   By the way, I never created users.   Always logged as administrator and my Win XP has the Service Pack 2. Found several software in the Internet but not sure on how reliable they are or if they can screw-up something in my HDD.   Despite having backups I'd like to avoid having to install everything again, since they are not up to date.   Anybody ever had this problem and recommend a safe way to go through the password? My laptop is running Win 2000 so I do not think it will help.   However, if serial number is not an issue I think I can create a password reset disk in a friend's computer running XP. Thanks much in advance!

www.petri.co.il/forgot_administrator_password.htm

Use this to reset the password.

try booting into safe mode and trying the alternate account.

then remove the password from control panel, and users accounts

The software worked fine.   Thanks much!    Glad to have control over that computer again!




P.S.  That Windows is really a POS.   The unlocking software showed my administrator account locked out apparently because I tried my password more than three times - duh.    I never set that limit.    It seems Microsoft only works against the computer owner.   Any hacker, however, can gain control over that crap.   Time to move to Linux.  

Quoted: The software worked fine.   Thanks much!    Glad to have control over that computer again!

What method and or software did you end up using?

I've used the bootdisc JavaMan linked too (hit the bootdisk link and scroll down near the bottom to get the floppy or CD image) a dozen times and it works great.  I did run into the password not wanting to reset sometimes if I tried to change to something other than blank (an * I believe is blank), but blanking it worked great.  You can then reset it inside windows to whatever you want...

sounds like a good thing to have now before I or others I know may need it

Quoted: Quoted: The software worked fine.   Thanks much!    Glad to have control over that computer again! What method and or software did you end up using?

I used Javaman's link.   I compared both options (yours and his) with others I found with Google and decided to try that boot disk first because it was Linux-based.  

Burned a CD with the ISO fle I downloaded and followed the instructions.   Worked as a charm.   It even disabled that stupid password screen that was a big aggravation for me since only my wife and I use the PC.  Can't beat that!  

i just had to do this tonight to but due to my own damn fault

there is a way that is software free, but you do need the disk for XP, basicly you run the setup disk, then hit r for repair, then at the right time you hit shift f10, then type some thing it, and it brings up the menu to change or modify accounts, it does take like 30 mins to do it all but it works and its free. no info lost, its just a back door in the the admin user acount set up file.

Quoted: i just had to do this tonight to but due to my own damn fault there is a way that is software free, but you do need the disk for XP, basicly you run the setup disk, then hit r for repair, then at the right time you hit shift f10, then type some thing it, and it brings up the menu to change or modify accounts, it does take like 30 mins to do it all but it works and its free. no info lost, its just a back door in the the admin user acount set up file.

That software is also free.  You only have to burn a CD with the ISO file.  I now keep that CD beside my XP setup file, just in case.  

I found the solution using the XP's setup disk.   However, I'll trust a rattlesnake before trusting Microsoft and Windows.     Therefore, that was my last resource.

I thought you were talking about some kind of ammo.