Password forgotten but already logged on 1

[Sheri99]

A strange thing has happened on my single user XP Pro machine. A couple of months ago I changed the screen saver settings, and the system ceased prompting for logon. When I boot the system, it goes straight to my desktop and doesn't subsequently prompt after the screen saver function. Recently I changed my power settings to enabled System Standby after 2 hours. After a standby it now prompts for password. The password I remember is not working. If I "Turn Off Computer" from there, I am again logged on when I reboot. So, No serious problem yet, but I feel very nervous. Would it prompt for a password if I tried to set up a new user account? What would be the best approach to get back into a secure situation without needing to provide the current (admin) user password? The last thing I want to do is jeopardize access to my files.

Thanks,
Sheri

 

[linney]

When you go into Control Panel/ User Accounts/ Pick A Task, does it say Create Password or Change Password?

If it says Create, you have no password. If it says Change, you will need your original password to do anything with that user.

Try Safe Mode and see if you can enter the Administrator account with a blank password.


This article is not as hopeful as it sounds but have a read anyway.

321305 - How to Log On to Windows XP If You Forget Your Password or Your Password Expires

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;321305&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

279783 - HOW TO: Create and Configure User Accounts in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;279783&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

811151 - How to Copy User Data to a New User Profile

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;811151&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

There are many sites that can help you further with lost or forgotten passwords (Google for instance) but this site for security and ethical reasons does not support that policy. Sorry about that, but if we can help in any other way please try us again.

 

[Sheri99]

When I go into User Accounts, Pick a Task, under "Pick an Account to Change" it has my account name, "Computer Administrator, Password Protected". Under Guest it says "Guest Account is Off".

I have just sucessfully created a second Computer Administrator account in the Control Panel with no password assigned. The MS articles didn't say whether I would need to provide a password (remember I'm already logged on) to set up a new admin user account -- none was needed. It doesn't look like I would have any trouble deleting it if necessary (don't know if this will affect the auto logon of the primary user account. I see that Windows has not yet created any folders for the new user in the Documents and Settings hierarchy.) I did find that I can't remove the password of the primary user without providing the password. Would the new user have the capability of deleting the password from the first?

I have not tried to log in as "Administrator". I believe I assigned a password to that account in safe mode shortly after installing XP and I'm not confidently sure I accurately remember it . I'm reluctant to try safe mode because I'm worried I'll lose the autologon I have. But now that I've set up a second account, that may also cause a logon screen to appear when I reboot.

The most unhappy part of this is, it isn't accepting my remembered user password. The password hint tells me what it should be and I have no recollection of changing it.

Advice? Quit worrying about losing file access and use the new account to copy over the old user data? Or should I delete the new user account and try safe mode?

Thanks,
Sheri

 

[linney]

Any Auto Login will disappear now that you have created your new Administrator user. Passwords, blank or otherwise, will be required.

However as you now have a second Administrator you can reset your original Administrator password (without knowing the password) using the second Administrator.

Type Control UserPasswords2 in the Start Run box.
See the "Reset Password" option.

When you have done that, read the articles about the Password Reset Disk, for future prevention.

 

[Sheri99]

Your link doesn't work, but I was able to find the file via Google and have downloaded from

http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/bd040116.zip

and created the boot floppy. Unless another option presents itself, I will try it later if am unable to get back in later after rebooting. Have you personally had success with this method?

In another thread about password issues, someone suggested going into Start-Run-control userpasswords2 and disabling "Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer." I checked, and mine is already disabled (must be why I've been getting automatic logons). I do not know if the presence of a second account will cause the login screen to appear when I reboot or not. I also haven't yet tried safe mode.

Sheri

 

[Sheri99]

Hmmn. Well, I rebooted and guess what? I was still logged on to the original user account. Then I booted into safe mode and safe mode it also booted into the original user account. Possibly the only way to endanger access to this account would be by explicitly selecting "Log off myacct ..." from the Start Menu.

I am beginning to wonder if there is a bug in the system. It probably shouldn't be prompting for a password after waking up from System Standby.

According to the Microsoft articles, if I successfully remove or reset the password, I will also lose site passwords and such. They also say you can't delete a user that's logged on. Maybe there are also implications for changing the password of a logged on user. Maybe I should just disable System Standby again and forget the whole thing?

Sheri

 

[linney]

You can bypass this function by holding down the SHIFT key during the boot or logoff process.
Have a read of this about Automatic Logon. You may have your mystery password stored in the Registry too.

http://www.winguides.com/registry/display.php/13/

I'm still wondering what happened to that second Administrator you created?

Also as you say in Control Userpasswords2 there is the option to make everyone login.

If you reset your password any encrypted files that you have under the original Administrator may be lost unless you decrypt before resetting any password.

 

[Sheri99]

I do have an AutoAdminLogon key and my user account is the DefaultUserName (there is also a series of keys like AltDefaultUserName - also set to my user account) but no password entry. That would have been great!

So far the only place I see the new administrator account is in the User Accounts Control applet and the userpasswords2 applet. The userpassword2 applet shows it as being part of two groups, Administrators and Users; Administrator and the other user are each only in the Administrator group. In the userpasswords2 applet, Add, Remove, Disable, and Reset Password buttons are all disabled. The only thing that is open to entry is the option to require users to enter a name and password (currently not checked, i.e., not required). I added the new administrator account via the User Accounts control panel applet. There it is showing as a second Computer Administrator.

Sheri

 

[linney]

Time to require all to enter names and passwords I think.

That might change the grey buttons (if your lucky).

The New Administrator is waiting to logon so he can create some folders and reset the old password.

 

[Sheri99]

I restarted with the Shift key down, that allows me to login the new Admistrator. I verified that I can remove the other user password. Yes I know I should just get it over with

But it gave a big warning about how the user will lose web and net passwords along with Windows logon password. Eventually I'm sure I'll bite that bullet.

I rebooted without Shift right back into the original user account. I learned that it is possible to set up Autologon through TweakUI with a password entry that gets encrypted. Maybe that was how I set this up (I have no memory of it). Also very strange that the password itself would be so elusive. Would be nice to find a way to recover it. Oh well.

Thanks linney for the help!!

I didn't try Unknown's program, but that definitely looked like a potential winner for those who are can't log in at all. The site indicates there are some risks, so I don't feel the need to test it at the moment. But thanks Unknown all the same. I'm keeping it in reserve.

Regards,
Sheri