Is it a Intel MB/processor?

Thanks for your reply. Please note details as follows :

The Computer is an :

INTEL (R)

PENTIUM (R) 4 CPU 2.40 GHz

512 MB of RAM

The software is :

MICROSOFT WINDOW XP PROFFESIONAL

VERSION 2002 SEVICE PACK 2

Because you purchased an Intel processor you have three (3) free tech service calls available for the life time of the product. Use them wisely, cover as many glitches and or questions at a time, you may take all day for each call for a total of three for free.

Thanks fo letting me know & definately I will try to use these services

mohddawood

Hai, If you are looking to retrieve WinXP login password you may have very little chance. But if you have an administrator for your PC then your administrator can log in and reset the password for you.

These passwords are stored in a the system in a database SYSTEM.MDB to which generally only the OS has an access.

You may be able to find some software out there that will go in and reset it. It is not approved by big M and you would use it at your own risk.

It is a good idea to have more than one user account set up just in case one of them gets its password corrupted. Then you are screwed. That happened to me once and the only solution was to reinstall the OS. Of course you can take out the drive and install it on another machine to access info that's on it so you don't loose files but it's a lot of trouble and inconvenience.

"Of course you can take out the drive and install it on another machine to access info that's on it so you don't loose files "

I've been building my own computers ever since the advent of the PC back in the 80's. I learned the hard way to never have the Operating System and the data that's created, resident on one drive.

Disk drives are cheap, cheaper than at any time in the computer industry and the price per gigabyte of storage keeps falling further. Given that, there is little excuse for putting ". . . all one's eggs in one basket" and putting all on one drive. It's also a good argument for NOT partitioning a disk drive into to subordinate drives.

If you choose to re-install the OS, you run the risk of loosing everything on the drive, data too.

If there are provisions for more than one drive on your motherboard (unless this is a laptop, there likely are), then I suggest you remove the existing one with the lost password and install a new drive in it's place.

Install the OS on that new drive and when the system is back up and running, shut the system. Leave the new drive where it is and install the old drive next to it as a "slave" being sure to use the appropriate jumpers on both drives.

Reboot the system. The computer will run off the new OS, ignore the old one and you should have access to the data on the old drive.

Copy all your data from the slave to the master and when you are satisfied that you have recovered access to all critical data, do a low level format of the old drive. (Many is the time an inattentive user wiped out the wrong drive) This will remap substandard sectors giving you a fresh domain to use as a backup.

Most important of all: Create a backup procedure that is fully automated. Write down the new password on the inside of one of the covers of the computer.

While you are at it, it might be a good idea to write down the codes needed to install the OS.

I know this sounds complicated. It really isn't. However, it can be time consuming. That's OK! The cost of the lesson learned will certainly help remind you not to let it happen again.

L.J.

Thank you LJ for your comments.

I have since perchased an external hardrive for backup of important data. You have sent in very useful info which I am sure all readers will also benefit from.

Thanks

mohddawood

never have the Operating System and the data that's created, resident on one drive

This can be done so long as the data is on a separete partition on the same drive. The OS for example is drive "C" while the data is drive "D".

You are allowed up to four "primary" partitions per drive. Many more logical partitions. With a boot manager, many OS's can exist on one physical drive.

Even Windows now supports LVM (logic volume manager). Partitions can span multiple drives.

In such case, the OS can be reinstalled without removing the hard drive. There will be no loss of data.

I thought that if you started windows in safe mode you automatically get full admin rights and there is no need to enter the password.

If I'm right, you should be able to start windows in safe mode and reset the passwords...

John.

Hello John,

Can U please inform me how to go to safe mode before winXP opens the password window.

I tried it using f4 or f1 but doesn't seem to work.

Thanks

mohddawood

Hello MohdDawood:

try key 8

babybear

Use F8 key as the computer boots up that will give you a menu allowing you to select safe mode start up.

Doinf that will start the bare minimum of windows and hopefully bypass the password log in as it gives you full administrator rights you will be able to go into control panel and modify the accounts and passwords...

Good luck! - John.

I think you are correct...

Try here:

www.loginrecovery.com

Create a bootable disk, boot, record info., email info., wait 72 hours, password/s revealed in return email. All FREE. Pay for quicker response (minutes).

Worked for me the one time I needed the service.

Rohmor.

Thanks Rohmor I will try your suggestion it is very good.

Thanks

mohddawood

Hello MohdDawood:

Do you mean your account password? If you can get to the screen with your name on and it will probably have a guest account as well, try the hint for your password.

If you are the Administrator in Window Professional XP try this:

Press [Ctrl] + [Alt] + [Del] and log in with the user-name "Administrator", excluding the quotes.

Do you have another computer? Or you can visit an internet cafe and download this to a floppy. Go to www.loginrecovery.com . This creates a boot-able floppy that can read your computer. It generates a file, which is uploaded. Within the space of 72 hours you will get your password back. Or you can pay £12.95 plus VAT for a priority service if you can't wait that long.

If your computer does not have a floppy you can download an ISO file that can be used to create a boot-able CD instead. You will need a CD burner plus a prog to converts ISO files to a boot-able CD. Try this ISO recorder from:

http://isorecorder.alexfeinman.com/

Hope you can get back into your computer. Let us know please.

If nothing works. use another computer or your phone to get home help or on-line help.

And, once you find it or make a new password KEEP A COPY!!!!!

stay safe

babybear

Thanks for your excellent comments.

I put a system password so when ever I switch the PC I must put this password.

The problem is : the password has been misplaced & just can't remember to log in. After 3 or 4 tries you are locked out automatically.

I will try to use your way to unlock if it works.

Thanks a lot

mohddawood

Hello MohdDawood:

are you actually locked out of your PC then?

stay safe

babybear

Hello MohdDawood:

how are you getting on with your problem?

stay safe

babybear

Thanks for your comments.

The problem resolved & I had to format the PC.

I will make sure to never forget the system password again. In fact as suggested I could get in the computer by using the F8 key but then I didn't have the old password to log in & change it.

I greatly appreciate for all your comments & regards

MohdDawood

Hello Guest.

I have both my personal and the MS passwords and MAC # stuck on the back of my computer. The mean nothing to anyone but me as it is down as one long line of figures and digits.

It is a shame you have to reformat your PC but, I would guest you have not had it that long?

I know it would take me a week just to copy everything I want to keep. Then a good two days to reinstall all the apps. So I am not looking forward to doing mine!

Glad you had sorted it out though.

stay safe

babybear

Hello MohdDawood:

Hope you're well.

I know you have sorted it now but, how about writing it on a small bit a card or paper and sellotaping it on the back of your computer mane case? If you have a Laptop where the PW is likely to be seen try writing in 'code', with 'x' or any other digit written several times and only you knows to ignore those digits?

You can also do this with any other PW for anything and, for your bank/credit card account.............Problem is recalling how to decipher the code when you need it in say two years time!

Stay safe

babybear

Hello babybear,

Thanks a lot for your comments.

I will do as you have said & avoid the future mishaps of losing passwords.

Regards

MohdDawood

Hello MohdDawood:

Good luck my friend.

babybear