Microsoft KB Archive/321305

Knowledge Base

How to log on to your Windows XP-based computer if you forget your password or if your password expires

Article ID: 321305

Article Last Modified on 9/5/2007

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APPLIES TO

• Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
• Microsoft Windows XP Professional
• Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition
• Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2002
• Microsoft Windows XP Professional for Itanium-based systems

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This article was previously published under Q321305

SUMMARY

If you forget your password or if your password expires, you can no longer log on to your computer until you reset your password. This article contains several step-by-step methods that you can use to try to reset your password so that you can log on to your computer again. However, these steps will only work if you or someone else knows the password for another user account on this computer, or if you have previously created a password reset disk for this computer. If this not the case, unfortunately, you have to reinstall Windows XP and all other programs that were installed on this computer before you can use this computer again. This is for security reasons. Otherwise, anyone could reset a password to anyone's computer and gain access to private information.

This article is intended for a beginning to intermediate computer user.

You may find it easier to follow the steps if you print this article first.

Note If you are using Windows XP Home Edition, you may want to try the steps in the following article before you try the steps in this article:

894900 Forgotten your Windows XP Home Edition password? - Part 1: Introduction

How to log on to your computer if you forget your password or if your password expires

If you forget your password or if your password expires, you can use a different user account to log on to your computer if there is another user account and if you know that password. If you have previously created a password reset disk, you can also use that method to log on to your computer. By using the password reset disk, you can recover your user account and your personalized computer settings. For more information about the password reset disk, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

306214 How to create and use a password reset disk for a computer in a domain in Windows XP

You can use the following methods to try to log on to your computer. The instructions guide you through each step and help you verify that the problem is resolved.

Method 1: Use a password reset disk

Windows XP Home Edition or Windows XP Professional

1. Restart the computer.
2. On the Windows XP logon screen, click the user name that you want to use, and then press ENTER.
   
   Note You receive the following error message:

   Did you forget your password? You can click the “?” button to see your password hint. Or you can use your password reset disk. Please type your password again. Be sure to use the correct uppercase and lowercase letters.

3. Click Use your password reset disk.
4. In the Password Reset Wizard dialog box, click Next.
5. Insert the password reset disc into the CD drive, and then click Next.
6. Type a new password in the Type a new password box, and then type the password again in the Type the password again to confirm box.
7. In the Type a new password hint box, type a hint for the password, and then click Next.
8. Click Finish, and then try to log on to Windows XP again.

Windows XP Professional in a domain

1. Restart the computer.
2. In the Welcome to Windows dialog box, press CTRL+ALT+DELETE.
3. In the Log On to Windows dialog box, click OK.
4. In the Logon Failed dialog box, click Reset, and then click Next.
5. Insert the password reset disc into the CD drive, and then click Next.
6. Type a new password in the Type a new password box, and then type the password again in the Type the password again to confirm box.
7. In the Type a new password hint box, type a hint for the password, and then click Next.
8. Click Finish, and then try to log on to Windows XP again.

Method 2: Log on as an administrator to reset the password

Windows XP Home Edition or Windows XP Professional

1. Log on as an administrator.
   1. Restart the computer.
   2. Press CTRL+ALT+DELETE two times, and then type the name of the administrator user account.
   3. In the Password box, type the administrator password, and then click OK.
      
      Note If the administrator password is set to a blank password, do not type a password before you click OK.
2. Reset the password.
   1. Click Start, click Run, type control userpasswords2, and then click OK.
   2. Click the name of the user account that you want to reset the password for, and then click Reset Password.
   3. Type a new password in the New password box, and then type the password again in the Confirm new password box, and then click OK.
   4. Restart the computer, and then try to log on to Windows XP again.

Windows XP Home Edition or Windows XP Professional in a workgroup

1. Log on as an administrator.
   1. Restart the computer, and then after the Power On Self Test (POST), press the F8 key.
   2. On the Windows Advanced Options menu, use the arrow keys to select Safe Mode, and then press ENTER.
   3. Select Microsoft Windows XP edition, and then press ENTER.
      
      Note In this step, edition represents the correct Windows edition.
   4. On the To begin, click your user name screen, click Administrator, and then type the administrator password.
   5. Press ENTER, and then click Yes.
2. Reset the password.
   1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
   2. Click User Accounts, and then click the name of the user account that you want to reset the password for.
   3. Click Change the Password, and then type a new password.

      Note If you do not want to use a password, click Remove password, and then continue to step "e."

   4. Click Change Password.
   5. Restart the computer, and then try to log on to Windows XP again.

Windows XP Professional in a domain

1. Log on as an administrator.
   1. In the Welcome to Windows dialog box, press CTRL+ALT+DELETE, and then type the name of the administrator user account.
   2. In the Password box, type the administrator password, and then click OK.
      
      Note If the administrator password is set to a blank password, do not type a password before you click OK.
2. Reset the password.
   1. Click Start, click Run, type compmgmt.msc, and then click OK.
   2. In the Computer Management (Local) dialog box, expand Local Users and Groups.
   3. Click the Users folder, and then right-click the user account that you want to reset the password for.
   4. Click Set Password, and then click Proceed.
   5. Type a new password in the New password box, type the password again in the Confirm password box, and then click OK two times.
   6. Restart the computer, and then try to log into Windows XP again.

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