Windows xp administrator password

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Hi Guys,

A friend of mine has forgotten his Windows XP's password. Is there any way to login without formatting?

Thanks

Press Alt + Ctrl + Del at login screen
Enter User Name Administrator Password (nothing) and press Enter

If this doesn't works, try booting into safe mode or use Hiren Boot CD to remove the password

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First solution doesn't do anything. I logged in via safe mode but still it asks for the username and password

Brother is 15.2 a good version

Download Hiren?s BootCD 15.2 | HBCD Fan & Discussion Platform

And my dear after downloading the zip file do we need to unzip it first before burning the contents on a cd?

Unzip it. No need to burn it on a CD. Use rufus and make a bootable USB drive.

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SaiyanGoku said:
Unzip it. No need to burn it on a CD. Use rufus and make a bootable USB drive.

Thanks bro. I will try it and will keep you updated regarding this.

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SaiyanGoku said:
Unzip it. No need to burn it on a CD. Use rufus and make a bootable USB drive.

Man I downloaded it and when I opened the BIOS screen of Windows XP, it had like 8-10 options but none of them said boot from cd/usb

I am confused.

billubakra said:
Man I downloaded it and when I opened the BIOS screen of Windows XP, it had like 8-10 options but none of them said boot from cd/usb I am confused.

Use YUMI to create the bootable usb.

YUMI ? Multiboot USB Creator | USB Pen Drive Linux

Boot from USB without BIOS Support via PLoP CD | USB Pen Drive Linux

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SaiyanGoku said:
Use YUMI to create the bootable usb.

YUMI ? Multiboot USB Creator | USB Pen Drive Linux

Boot from USB without BIOS Support via PLoP CD | USB Pen Drive Linux

Brother don't have time for all that. Is there any easy way out? Yaar why are we not able to see the boot from cd/usb option?

which version of windows xp is it?
do you want to log in to recover data or some other reason?

billubakra said:
Brother don't have time for all that. Is there any easy way out? Yaar why are we not able to see the boot from cd/usb option?

The motherboard BIOS doesn't supports booting from USB. Plop Boot Manager in YUMI should bypass that limitation.

Edit:

My bad, its not YUMI, its Bootice.
Download bootice. Download BOOTICE 32-Bit - MajorGeeks
Select the destination disk
Click process MBR
Select Plop Boot Manager
Click Install/Config.

More Info:
what you in NEED?: A small tutorial for BOOTICE Users...

(it's a friend's blog)

donno if this works... does not require Hiren's Boot CD though it does similar thing
Recover Your Windows XP Administrator Password With The Installation Disk

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Anorion said:
which version of windows xp is it?
do you want to log in to recover data or some other reason?

Win Xp SP 3. We want to recover data and if possible reset the password or want just a login authority

SaiyanGoku said:
The motherboard BIOS doesn't supports booting from USB. Plop Boot Manager in YUMI should bypass that limitation.

Edit:

My bad, its not YUMI, its Bootice.
Download bootice. Download BOOTICE 32-Bit - MajorGeeks
Select the destination disk
Click process MBR
Select Plop Boot Manager
Click Install/Config.

More Info:
what you in NEED?: A small tutorial for BOOTICE Users...

(it's a friend's blog)

But bro it should support Boot from CD na, unfortunately that was not in the options. Why is that so? And the links that you have posted seems great, but I can't take risk with them as I will make a mess out of it.

Anorion said:
donno if this works... does not require Hiren's Boot CD though it does similar thing
Recover Your Windows XP Administrator Password With The Installation Disk

Brother we don't have the Win XP SP3 cd, the pc came preinstalled with it. Now even if I get the cd from someone it will not work because the cd key will be different.

Wait, you can't boot even from CD?

This is the first time I've read about an old windows XP PC not allowing to boot from CD.

just, is it windows xp professional? by any chance?

SaiyanGoku said:
Press Alt + Ctrl + Del at login screen
Enter User Name Administrator Password (nothing) and press Enter

If this doesn't works, try booting into safe mode or use Hiren Boot CD to remove the password

I know about this trick.. Why it doesn't work on 7 or later?

ariftwister said:
I know about this trick.. Why it doesn't work on 7 or later?

Probably got removed as MS didn't want it in the first place.

W

post a screenshot of boot options(use mobile phone camera).

billubakra said:
Brother don't have time for all that. Is there any easy way out? Yaar why are we not able to see the boot from cd/usb option?

What exactly is happening when you boot in Safe mode..?

Usually there will be your account and Administrator too. Login to that Admin and remove the password of your account from Control panel>User accounts..!

Simple way out for you. Install Ubunutu as dual boot. You will be able to access Windows XP's C drive and files in it. Copy it to a safe place. Format C drive and reinstall Windows. Probably Windows 7 this time.

meetdilip said:
Simple way out for you. Install Ubunutu as dual boot. You will be able to access Windows XP's C drive and files in it. Copy it to a safe place. Format C drive and reinstall Windows. Probably Windows 7 this time.

He can't boot using CD or USB, how do you think he'll install ubuntu? :lol:

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SaiyanGoku said:
Wait, you can't boot even from CD?

This is the first time I've read about an old windows XP PC not allowing to boot from CD.

That is what I mentioned in the previous posts.

Anorion said:
just, is it windows xp professional? by any chance?

Don't know, but it is SP3.

whitestar_999 said:
post a screenshot of boot options(use mobile phone camera).

Sure bro, I will click a photo of the BIOS screen and will post it here. Just give me some time.

jkultimate said:
What exactly is happening when you boot in Safe mode..?

Usually there will be your account and Administrator too. Login to that Admin and remove the password of your account from Control panel>User accounts..!

No, there's only one account and he forgot it's password.

meetdilip said:
Simple way out for you. Install Ubunutu as dual boot. You will be able to access Windows XP's C drive and files in it. Copy it to a safe place. Format C drive and reinstall Windows. Probably Windows 7 this time.

Boot via cd isn't happening.

Missed that. Sorry.

If safe mode works, try this.

First reboot Windows XP in safe mode by re-starting the computer and pressing F8 repeated as the computer starts up. Then (in safe mode) click Start and then click Run. In the open box type "control userpasswords2" without the quotes - I have just used quotes to differentiate what you have to type. You will now have access to all the user accounts, including the administrators account and will be able to reset the lost password.

Just click the administrators user account, and then click Reset Password.

You will need to add a new password in the New password and the Confirm new password boxes, and confirm by clicking OK.

All done, you have recovered the lost administrators password!

Windows

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First reboot Windows XP in safe mode by re-starting the computer and pressing F8 repeated as the computer starts up. Then (in safe mode) click Start and then click Run.

if somebody can do it then he doesn't need the password recovery option in the 1st place.

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Flash said:
If safe mode works, try this.

Windows

Booting via safe mode also asks for password.

billubakra said:
Booting via safe mode also asks for password.

That is weird.. Did he store any important data on his admin account (inside documents, downloads, pictures, etc.,)?

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Flash said:
That is weird.. Did he store any important data on his admin account (inside documents, downloads, pictures, etc.,)?

Na, just few games, movies, songs and pics. I will get the pic of the boot screen this weekend. Even if there was any important data then how can the data remove the option of boot via safe mode or cd?

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*oi60.tinypic.com/2eobdkp.jpg

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[MENTION=145143]SaiyanGoku[/MENTION] [MENTION=56202]Anorion[/MENTION] [MENTION=93457]jkultimate[/MENTION] [MENTION=73293]meetdilip[/MENTION] [MENTION=142062]Flash[/MENTION]

Kindly check the screenshot posted in the last reply.

W

I am really hoping the screenshot you posted above is not what you meant when you said you didn't got any option to boot from cd because otherwise you will be going to get a lot of facepalms.

whitestar_999 said:
I am really hoping the screenshot you posted above is not what you meant when you said you didn't got any option to boot from cd because otherwise you will be going to get a lot of facepalms.

I Guess he was.
Can I start facepalming

@billubakara bro, if you didn't knew, you will not see any boot from CD/USB option here ( your screenshot).
For that as Sayangoku and others said create a bootable USB. And plug it in and restart computer.
As your computer starts, depending upon your motherboard you have keep pressing F8 OR DEL till you get "BOOT MENU"

From that you have to select REMOVABLE DISK/USB if you want to boot from USB or CD/DVD DRIVE if you are booting from CD.

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whitestar_999 said:
I am really hoping the screenshot you posted above is not what you meant when you said you didn't got any option to boot from cd because otherwise you will be going to get a lot of facepalms.

jkultimate said:
I Guess he was.
Can I start facepalming

@billubakara bro, if you didn't knew, you will not see any boot from CD/USB option here ( your screenshot).
For that as Sayangoku and others said create a bootable USB. And plug it in and restart computer.
As your computer starts, depending upon your motherboard you have keep pressing F8 OR DEL till you get "BOOT MENU"

View attachment 15839

From that you have to select REMOVABLE DISK/USB if you want to boot from USB or CD/DVD DRIVE if you are booting from CD.

We made a bootable usb and a cd drive of HBCD and Ubuntu. Inserted them into his pc and then pressed F8 and we got this screen. What are we doing wrong?

W

don't press F8,press the key for BIOS option(F2,DEL,F10,F11,F12 try all).

billubakra said:
We made a bootable usb and a cd drive of HBCD and Ubuntu. Inserted them into his pc and then pressed F8 and we got this screen. What are we doing wrong?

For you case, it might be DEL or any other function key depending upon your motherboard. It should display that when turning on PC.

It should be something like this,

here it is F12 for boot menu. Like that yours have a dedicated key for your motherboard.

Guys, OP's problem is not about booting into Windows. It's about retrieving the admin password.

Flash said:
Guys, OP's problem is not about booting into Windows. It's about retrieving the admin password.

He had issues to get into Boot menu.

For using BOOTICE/HIRENCD

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Sorry if I asked any idiotic question. Will update about this soon.

billubakra said:
Sorry if I asked any idiotic question. Will update about this soon.

No question is idiotic, atleast not for all

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Using the delete button the BIOS opened and we were able to do the needful. Thanks to all for replying. Last two questions-

1. What is the name of this page/setup thing

Image - TinyPic - Free Image Hosting, Photo Sharing & Video Hosting

2. How to delete Win Xp from the pc and install Win 7? We have a win 7 dvd but no drivers so how to get them online?

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Flash said:
No question is idiotic, atleast not for all

Thanks for backing me up dear.