If you forget your password or if your password expires

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:

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. a. Restart the computer. b. Press CTRL+ALT+DELETE two times, and then type the name of the administrator user account. c. 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. a. Click Start, click Run, type control userpasswords2, and then click OK. b. Click the name of the user account that you want to reset the password for, and then click Reset Password. c. 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. d. 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. a. Restart the computer, and then after the Power On Self Test (POST), press the F8 key. b. On the Windows Advanced Options menu, use the arrow keys to select Safe Mode, and then press ENTER. c. Select Microsoft Windows XP edition, and then press ENTER. Note In this step, edition represents the correct Windows edition. d. On the To begin, click your user name screen, click Administrator, and then type the administrator password. e. Press ENTER, and then click Yes.

2.

Reset the password. a. Click Start, and then click Control Panel. b. Click User Accounts, and then click the name of the user account that you want to reset the password for. c. 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." d. Click Change Password. e. 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. a. In the Welcome to Windows dialog box, press CTRL+ALT+DELETE, and then type the name of the administrator user account. b. 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. a. Click Start, click Run, type compmgmt.msc, and then click OK. b. In the Computer Management (Local) dialog box, expand Local Users and Groups. c. Click the Users folder, and then right-click the user account that you want to reset the password for. d. Click Set Password, and then click Proceed. e. Type a new password in the New password box, type the password again in the Confirm password box, and then click OK two times. f. Restart the computer, and then try to log into Windows XP again.

Windows RUN commands

To Access…	Run Command
Accessibility Controls	access.cpl
Accessibility Wizard	accwiz
Add Hardware Wizard	hdwwiz.cpl
Add/Remove Programs	appwiz.cpl
Administrative Tools	control admintools
Adobe Acrobat (if installed)	acrobat
Adobe Designer (if installed)	formdesigner
Adobe Distiller (if installed)	acrodist
Adobe ImageReady (if installed)	imageready
Adobe Photoshop (if installed)	photoshop
Automatic Updates	wuaucpl.cpl
Basic Media Player	mplay32
Bluetooth Transfer Wizard	fsquirt
Calculator	calc
Ccleaner ( if installed )	ccleaner
C: Drive	c:
Certificate Manager	certmgr.msc
Character Map	charmap
Check Disk Utility	chkdsk
Clipboard Viewer	clipbrd
Command Prompt	cmd
Command Prompt	command
Component Services	dcomcnfg
Computer Management	compmgmt.msc
Compare Files	comp
Control Panel	control
Create a shared folder Wizard	shrpubw
Date and Time Properties	timedate.cpl
DDE Shares	ddeshare
Device Manager	devmgmt.msc
Direct X Control Panel (if installed)*	directx.cpl
Direct X Troubleshooter	dxdiag
Disk Cleanup Utility	cleanmgr
Disk Defragment	dfrg.msc
Disk Management	diskmgmt.msc
Disk Partition Manager	diskpart
Display Properties	control desktop
Display Properties	desk.cpl
Display Properties (w/Appearance Tab Preselected)	control color
Dr. Watson System Troubleshooting Utility	drwtsn32
Driver Verifier Utility	verifier
Ethereal ( if installed )	ethereal
Event Viewer	eventvwr.msc
Files and Settings Transfer Tool	migwiz
File Signature Verification Tool	sigverif
Findfast	findfast.cpl
Firefox (if installed)	firefox
Folders Properties	folders
Fonts	control fonts
Fonts Folder	fonts
Free Cell Card Game	freecell
Game Controllers	joy.cpl
Group Policy Editor (XP Prof)	gpedit.msc
Hearts Card Game	mshearts
Help and Support	helpctr
HyperTerminal	hypertrm
Iexpress Wizard	iexpress
Indexing Service	ciadv.msc
Internet Connection Wizard	icwconn1
Internet Explorer	iexplore
Internet Properties	inetcpl.cpl
Internet Setup Wizard	inetwiz
IP Configuration (Display Connection Configuration)	ipconfig /all
IP Configuration (Display DNS Cache Contents)	ipconfig /displaydns
IP Configuration (Delete DNS Cache Contents)	ipconfig /flushdns
IP Configuration (Release All Connections)	ipconfig /release
IP Configuration (Renew All Connections)	ipconfig /renew
IP Configuration (Refreshes DHCP & Re-Registers DNS)	ipconfig /registerdns
IP Configuration (Display DHCP Class ID)	ipconfig /showclassid
IP Configuration (Modifies DHCP Class ID)	ipconfig /setclassid
Java Control Panel (if installed)	jpicpl32.cpl
Java Control Panel (if installed)	javaws
Keyboard Properties	control keyboard
Local Security Settings	secpol.msc
Local Users and Groups	lusrmgr.msc
Logs You Out Of Windows	logoff
Malicious Software Removal Tool	mrt
Microsoft Access (if installed)	msaccess
Microsoft Chat	winchat
Microsoft Excel (if installed)	excel
Microsoft Frontpage (if installed)	frontpg
Microsoft Movie Maker	moviemk
Microsoft Management Console	mmc
Microsoft Narrator	narrator
Microsoft Paint	mspaint
Microsoft Powerpoint (if installed)	powerpnt
Microsoft Word (if installed)	winword
Microsoft Syncronization Tool	mobsync
Minesweeper Game	winmine
Mouse Properties	control mouse
Mouse Properties	main.cpl
MS-Dos Editor	edit
MS-Dos FTP	ftp
Nero (if installed)	nero
Netmeeting	conf
Network Connections	control netconnections
Network Connections	ncpa.cpl
Network Setup Wizard	netsetup.cpl
Notepad	notepad
Nview Desktop Manager (if installed)	nvtuicpl.cpl
Object Packager	packager
ODBC Data Source Administrator	odbccp32.cpl
On Screen Keyboard	osk
Opens AC3 Filter (if installed)	ac3filter.cpl
Outlook Express	msimn
Paint	pbrush
Password Properties	password.cpl
Performance Monitor	perfmon.msc
Performance Monitor	perfmon
Phone and Modem Options	telephon.cpl
Phone Dialer	dialer
Pinball Game	pinball
Power Configuration	powercfg.cpl
Printers and Faxes	control printers
Printers Folder	printers
Private Character Editor	eudcedit
Quicktime (If Installed)	QuickTime.cpl
Quicktime Player (if installed)	quicktimeplayer
Real Player (if installed)	realplay
Regional Settings	intl.cpl
Registry Editor	regedit
Registry Editor	regedit32
Remote Access Phonebook	rasphone
Remote Desktop	mstsc
Removable Storage	ntmsmgr.msc
Removable Storage Operator Requests	ntmsoprq.msc
Resultant Set of Policy (XP Prof)	rsop.msc
Scanners and Cameras	sticpl.cpl
Scheduled Tasks	control schedtasks
Security Center	wscui.cpl
Services	services.msc
Shared Folders	fsmgmt.msc
Sharing Session	rtcshare
Shuts Down Windows	shutdown
Sounds Recorder	sndrec32
Sounds and Audio	mmsys.cpl
Spider Solitare Card Game	spider
SQL Client Configuration	cliconfg
System Configuration Editor	sysedit
System Configuration Utility	msconfig
System File Checker Utility (Scan Immediately)	sfc /scannow
System File Checker Utility (Scan Once At The Next Boot)	sfc /scanonce
System File Checker Utility (Scan On Every Boot)	sfc /scanboot
System File Checker Utility (Return Scan Setting To Default)	sfc /revert
System File Checker Utility (Purge File Cache)	sfc /purgecache
System File Checker Utility (Sets Cache Size to size x)	sfc /cachesize=x
System Information	msinfo32
System Properties	sysdm.cpl
Task Manager	taskmgr
TCP Tester	tcptest
Telnet Client	telnet
Tweak UI (if installed)	tweakui
User Account Management	nusrmgr.cpl
Utility Manager	utilman
Volume Serial Number for C:	label
Volume Control	sndvol32
Windows Address Book	wab
Windows Address Book Import Utility	wabmig
Windows Backup Utility (if installed)	ntbackup
Windows Explorer	explorer
Windows Firewall	firewall.cpl
Windows Installer Details	msiexec
Windows Magnifier	magnify
Windows Management Infrastructure	wmimgmt.msc
Windows Media Player	wmplayer
Windows Messenger	msmsgs
Windows Picture Import Wizard (need camera connected)	wiaacmgr
Windows System Security Tool	syskey
Windows Script host settings	wscript
Windows Update Launches	wupdmgr
Windows Version (to show which version of windows)	winver
Windows XP Tour Wizard	tourstart
Wordpad	write
Zoom Utility	igfxzoom