Password Recovery

[EricIan]

Hi.
I just bought a Dell D600 laptop, re-furbished, online, with XP Pro pre-installed.

I set up a password to log on initially (the Administrator account) and, like a dope,:disgust: did not write it down. The password hint is also Greek to me. I'll never do this again. I promise.

Can someone out there tell me how to get around that? A Dell techie gave me the steps to wipe the HD, and is sending me an XP Pro CD, to re-install that OS.

Any simpler way? If you have one, please send to my private email address (after my name below).

Thanks
Eric in Santa Fe
EMAIL ADDRESS: "Removed"

[smurfy]

Hello and welcome to CTH.

It's the policy of this site not to assist in breaking passwords. The only advice we can give mirrors that of the Dell tech, re-install.

[Miz]

Also see the Microsoft Knowledge Base article, How to log on to your Windows XP-based computer if you forget your password or if your password expires (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/321305).

If the first method fails then, yes, your only option is to reinstall Windows.

[EricIan]

Thanks, Folks.
I support not breaking passwords.

The article isn't going to work bk it requires that I or someone else know any other password on the system. There aren't any; the machine is too new.

So I will wait until Thursday, when the XP CD is slated to arrive, wipe the baby and reinstall the OS.

BTW, it seems I have a service contract--must be the previous owner's--since DELL gave me free tech help, and is sending the CD at no charge. Good computer Karma, n'est-ce pas?

[Miz]

If there is no password on the main, usually hidden Administrator account, you should be able to boot into it, as the article says, by leaving the password field blank. Just press the Ctrl-Alt-Del key combination twice at the Welcome screen to display the Administrator logon prompt.

Once in that account, you can change or remove passwords on any user account.