Administrator Password Lost

Question

Lost the Administrator Password, have tried the control, alt, delete option twice, then inserted Administrator and left password blank, no luck.  How do you start in safe mode?

LCDmaster · Answer

restart your PC, press F8 and scroll down to 'SafeMode'

tgsmith · Answer

Controller19,

And if LCDMaster's suggestion doesn't work, just blank the darn thing by going here:

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

Read instructions and download bd050303.zip . Unzip it, create a boot diskette or bootable CD. Boot up. Follow instructions.

Tony

Dmoffet917 · Answer

On my personal computer, I have a password to access to the computer and an administrator password (seperate from other users) that gives priviliges to download and install various software, change user settings, etc...  I have lost/forgotten the password and now my McAfee Anti Virus need to be reinstalled and I am unable to get access to my Administrator account to reinstall.  How can I reset the administrator password?  I think I may be locked out because I have tried numerous times.  I am using Windows XP Dimension E510.  I can go into other users account but they don't have the privileges.

Denny Denham · Answer

DMoffet917,

If you have lost access to the administrator account under your name you may be able to recover by logging on as System Administrator. Boot to Safe Mode and at the Welcome screen press Ctrl-Alt-Delete twice. On the logon screen enter Administrator as the user name and leave the password blank. If you are able to log on, you can go to Start|Control Panel|User Accounts and change or remove the password from your inaccessible administrator account. If a blank password does not allow you to log on, see the link that tgsmith provided for blanking the Administrator password.

Dmoffet917 · Answer

I probably didn't make the problem I am having clear.  I can actually log on the computer. I have set up accounts on my personal home (desktop) computer for family members, which I am the adminstrator and this is the account I can't get into.  All other accounts are not privileged to make changes or updates.    The bootable soultions is for not being able to boot the computer.  Which I can boot the computer, it's just that once it is booted I can't get into my(Administrator) account.

tgsmith · Answer

Dmoffet917, We understand. The Safe Mode Administrator is the administrator of all accounts, including your administrator account (the one you can't get into).  If you press F8, select Safe Mode and login in as Administrator (its the first one on the list), you can change/reset all passwords, yours included.  If your Safe Mode Administrator rejects its password (normally it does not have one), your only option is to download the BD050303.ZIP file I mentionned earlier. Create the Linux boot disk. Follow on-screen instructions when you reboot on that disk to blank any password, whether it's the adminstrator or yours. Tony

Denny Denham · Answer

DMoffet917,

You made the problem perfectly clear. You have two choices. You can either boot to the System Administrator account (which is what my instructions will allow you to do) and reset the password to your administrator account (in your name) or reinstall Windows XP.

Dmoffet917 · Answer

Thank you guys for your knowledge, unfortuantely I couldn't get my computer in Safe Mode, I tried F8 and everything, I never saw anything for Safe Mode, fortunately I have a neighbor and she works with computers, she used "ERD Commander" used disc and some file named "key something". What is does is it boots the computer from the disc and then you can select which account to reset. It took a couple of minutes. Now I am up and running again :manvery-happy: I appreciate everyones help.

Sincerely

Dmoffet917

tgsmith · Answer

Dmoffet917, Glad your neighbor had ERD disk.  It does the same thing the BD050303.ZIP disk I mentionned.  Happy Holidays. Tony

Dmoffet917 · Answer

I appreciate everyones help!!!     May everyone have a Happy and Safe holiday season.  :smileyvery-happy:

dbrenner23 · Answer

Thank you so much. This procedure, and the software you linked to worked like a charm.   -- dbrenner23

tgsmith · Answer

Dbrenner23,

On behalf of myself and Denny Denham, who passed away in late 2006, you are very welcome. I'm sure Denny would be most appreciative of your thanks. His web site is still available for those needing help: http://www.djdenham.com/New_user.htm

Tony G. Smith

Windows General

Administrator Password Lost

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