# Locked out of Windows XP due to forgetting password **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 25, 2009, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locked-out-of-windows-xp-due-to-forgetting-password/500966 "2009-06-25T17:55:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mauxlicious](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bc8723/32.png) [@mauxlicious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mauxlicious)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locked-out-of-windows-xp-due-to-forgetting-password/500966/1 "2009-06-25T17:55:58Z")
My IT department recently built me a new desk top computer. It has been working nicely and I have everything pretty much set up. Last night I changed the owner profile to my name and created a password. I cant find the paper I wrote the password on and I can’t remember it. I tried all of the common derivatives of passwords I use. No go. Is there a way I can log on as an administrator and take the password requirement off or find it out? I am not technically oriented so when the IT guy was bragging about the hardware he used, it went in one side and out the other. I am not sure if the hardware specs are important here, but I can track them down if need be. I run Windows XP for the operating system. Thanks in advance. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locked-out-of-windows-xp-due-to-forgetting-password/500966/2 "2009-06-25T18:02:06Z")
Sounds like it’s time to call your IT guy for help. They probably still have admin access to the computer and can log in and fix up your password. ---
**Author:** ![mauxlicious](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bc8723/32.png) [@mauxlicious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mauxlicious)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locked-out-of-windows-xp-due-to-forgetting-password/500966/3 "2009-06-25T18:04:24Z")
> [@gotpasswords](#): > > Sounds like it’s time to call your IT guy for help. They probably still have admin access to the computer and can log in and fix up your password. :smack: I missed the edit window. He built me this machine for my home. Which is where it is currently. I am on the desktop at work that I can actually log into. Sorry for the omission. ---
**Author:** ![Spectralist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Spectralist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectralist)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locked-out-of-windows-xp-due-to-forgetting-password/500966/4 "2009-06-25T18:16:51Z")
You might try one of the methods from [this link](http://support.microsoft.com/kb/321305). I’ve used method2 before. It only works if you aren’t using the default admin account as your main account(you probably aren’t) and the default admin account has no password(it hopefully doesn’t, it doesn’t by default). ---
**Author:** ![mauxlicious](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bc8723/32.png) [@mauxlicious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mauxlicious)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locked-out-of-windows-xp-due-to-forgetting-password/500966/5 "2009-06-25T18:29:35Z")
> [@Spectralist](#): > > You might try one of the methods from [this link](http://support.microsoft.com/kb/321305). > > I’ve used method2 before. It only works if you aren’t using the default admin account as your main account(you probably aren’t) and the default admin account has no password(it hopefully doesn’t, it doesn’t by default). Thanks! I cant wait to try it. ---
**Author:** ![J-P\_L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/j-p_l/32/3156_2.png) [@J-P\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/J-P_L)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locked-out-of-windows-xp-due-to-forgetting-password/500966/6 "2009-06-25T20:53:04Z")
Look at the info on this [site](http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/) I use the software and the instructions contains there to get control of a Win 2000 machine to which no one knew the Administrator password because the previous user had left the company. ---
**Author:** ![mauxlicious](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bc8723/32.png) [@mauxlicious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mauxlicious)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locked-out-of-windows-xp-due-to-forgetting-password/500966/7 "2009-06-25T21:09:08Z")
> [@J-P\_L](#): > > Look at the info on this [site](http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/) > > I use the software and the instructions contains there to get control of a Win 2000 machine to which no one knew the Administrator password because the previous user had left the company. Thanks. It’s good to have an alternative if I can’t get it done otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locked-out-of-windows-xp-due-to-forgetting-password/500966/8 "2009-06-25T21:22:49Z")
> [@J-P\_L](#): > > Look at the info on this [site](http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/) > > I use the software and the instructions contains there to get control of a Win 2000 machine to which no one knew the Administrator password because the previous user had left the company. I’ve also successfully used that software, although in my case it was a Windows XP system I was trying to access. ---
**Author:** ![HorseloverFat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8e8cbc/32.png) [@HorseloverFat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HorseloverFat)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locked-out-of-windows-xp-due-to-forgetting-password/500966/9 "2009-06-25T21:47:35Z")
[This works just fine.](http://home.eunet.no/pnordahl/ntpasswd/) You make a bootable CD with it. Change the admin password to blank. [The 0phtcrack liveCD is a second choice.](http://ophcrack.sourceforge.net/)It will sit there and try to guess your password. This way youre not writing anything to disk and potentially breaking anything. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2009, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locked-out-of-windows-xp-due-to-forgetting-password/500966/10 "2009-06-26T00:39:40Z")
I don’t see it anywhere in the link, so remember that the default Administrator account name is, well, “Administrator.” Oh, and if the computer is Windows XP Home, you’ll have to reboot in safe mode. Reoeatedly tap F8 while booting (before the Windows startup screen), and you’ll get a menu that will allow you to log in in Safe mode. This will also put the Administrator account on the Welcome screen, making it easier to get into. This is exactly how I got into a computer donated to the tape ministry at church. Much easier than tracking down the owner and getting the password. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2009, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locked-out-of-windows-xp-due-to-forgetting-password/500966/11 "2009-06-26T02:39:41Z")
> [@HorseloverFat](#): > > [This works just fine.](http://home.eunet.no/pnordahl/ntpasswd/) You make a bootable CD with it. Change the admin password to blank. > > [The 0phtcrack liveCD is a second choice.](http://ophcrack.sourceforge.net/)It will sit there and try to guess your password. This way youre not writing anything to disk and potentially breaking anything. I once tried Ophcrack on my XP system just to test it and it got the passwords in a matter of minutes. In other words I consider Windows security worthless except against the most ignorant users. Anything which I want to keep secret I encrypt using PGP. ---
**Author:** ![HorseloverFat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8e8cbc/32.png) [@HorseloverFat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HorseloverFat)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2009, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locked-out-of-windows-xp-due-to-forgetting-password/500966/12 "2009-06-26T02:48:31Z")
That says alot about how weak your passwords are moreso than windows. Theres nothing wrong with the password hashes windows uses, its just as good as anything linux, osx, solaris, etc use. If 0phtcrack is easily guessing your passwords its because your passwords are too weak and lack complexity. the rainbow tables in that cd contain all the combination for lower case passwords with any number and some basic symbols like “dogmeat1980!” would be easy to guess, but “d00gm3333t@1980” wouldnt ---
**Author:** ![Imasquare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Imasquare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Imasquare)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2009, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locked-out-of-windows-xp-due-to-forgetting-password/500966/13 "2009-06-26T04:02:31Z")
Very often Windows XP is installed with a blank password for the Administrator account. Try logging in as Administrator and leaving the password blank. You may get lucky…