by Alan Fernald

Created on: November 23, 2008   Last Updated: March 09, 2011

Have you ever attempted to log in to your Windows XP computer and realized that you cannot remember the password? Everybody does it every once in a while; however, rather than reinstalling your Windows XP, there are a couple of things you can try which will avoid losing any information or encrypted files. These techniques can also be useful to computer technicians who need to install new hardware or software applications, but find that the computer's user does not remember or have access to the administration password.

NOTE: These techniques should only be used to gain access to computers which you have permission to access. Attempting to use these methods to access a computer that is not your property or to which you have not obtained authorization may be a violation of different state and federal laws.

The first method to recovering your password is also the simplest. Through personal experience, this method has been successful in more than half of the small businesses that I have visited to perform contracted software installations.

When Windows XP is initially installed on a computer that is not connected to a domain, it creates an account named "Administrator", and allows the person installing to create their own personalized account. However, it neither creates nor requires a password to be set on these accounts. Thus, on most computers, it is a simple matter to "hack" the Administrator account.

While at the blue "Welcome" screen where Windows XP displays the list of user accounts, or on the screen where it asks for you to press "Ctrl + Alt + Del" to log on, simply press the "Ctrl + Alt + Del" keys to display the login screen. Note: If you are at the "Welcome" screen, you may have to press the key combination twice before it will show you the more formal login screen.

Once you are at the login screen, use your mouse to select the first line (there should be two or three lines showing dependent upon whether you are connected to a domain or a workgroup). Replace the name on the first line with the account name "Administrator". If the computer is attached to a domain, move to the third line (you may need to click on the "Options" button), and choose the local computer name from the pull-down box. Once the information is correct, simply press the "Enter" key on the keyboard. Unless the password for the administration account was changed from the default, the computer should now log in with full administrator rights.

If the log in is successful, you can take

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