XP hidden account

zazzz · 24-11-2009 12:41am #1

Does anybody know how you access the hidden administrator account feature that comes with XP home edition when you've forgotten you're password. I've followed tech support but still can't understand whats going on.

Cork Skate · 24-11-2009 1:09am

zazzz wrote: »

I've followed tech support but still can't understand whats going on.

Where was that? You'll find it on Google handy enough i'd say

zazzz · 24-11-2009 1:25am

Tried google already?

MunsterCycling · 24-11-2009 1:37am

Boot in safe mode, hit F8 on startup sequence

MC

zazzz · 24-11-2009 2:35am

I've got that far already, pressed f8 at start up went to safe mode and user accounts and
could'nt find anything resembling a hidden administrator account or password reset. This is
all relating to a forgotten password.

imstrongerthanu · 24-11-2009 8:06am

You cant do that in xp home, only pro.

Itsdacraic · 24-11-2009 11:02am

There are free tools out there will easily along to recover the administrator passwords for XP. Don't know if it's ok to post them up here though.

CrinkElite · 24-11-2009 4:57pm

zazzz wrote: »

I've got that far already, pressed f8 at start up went to safe mode and user accounts and
could'nt find anything resembling a hidden administrator account or password reset. This is
all relating to a forgotten password.

have you looked at "method 2" here?

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/321305

according to miocrosoft you can do this is in xp home.

imstrongerthanu · 24-11-2009 5:52pm

These steps only work if you have previously created a password reset disk for the computer, or if you can log on as an administrator to assign a new password to your account.

Try read your own links.....

If you do not have a reset disk or cannot log on as an administrator, unfortunately, you may have to reinstall Windows XP

Any easy way to do it is download this and copy the files to a usb memory stick.

http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/cd080802.zip

To make a bootable USB drive / key:

1. Copy all files from this CD onto the USB drive.
It cannot be in a subdirectory on the drive.
You do not need delete files already on the drive.
2. Install the bootloader (you may have to be administrator)
On the USB drive, there should now be a file "syslinux.exe".
Run this from a command line, like this:

j:\syslinux.exe -ma j:

replace j with some other letter if your USB drive is on another
drive letter than j:
On some drives, you may have to omit the -ma option if you
get an error.
If it says nothing, it probably did install the bootloader.

Please note that you may have to adjust settings in your computers BIOS
setup to boot from USB.
Also, some BIOS (often older machines) simply won't boot from USB anyway.
Unfortunately, there are extremely many different versions of BIOS,
and a lot of them are rather buggy when it comes to booting off different
media, so I am unable to help you.

The tool is really easy to use.

cpu-dude · 24-11-2009 6:48pm

zazzz wrote: »

Does anybody know how you access the hidden administrator account feature that comes with XP home edition when you've forgotten you're password. I've followed tech support but still can't understand whats going on.

It's very simple to do in XP (and works for Vista and Windows 7 too).

Start > Run > Type "lusrmgr.msc" and press OK > Advanced > Users > Right Click "Administrator" > Properties > Untick "Account is Disabled" and "Account is Locked Out" > Apply > OK.

Now, you can log onto the Administrator and reset your password.

Alternatively you can go to the Login Welcome Screen on XP, press CTRL+ALT+DEL twice and log in manually by typing Administrator as the username and leaving the password field blank.

imstrongerthanu · 24-11-2009 7:25pm

I thought he was locked out of the computer?
And how can he change that option if he is not administrator?
I'm not the smartest when it comes to this stuff.

cpu-dude · 24-11-2009 7:33pm

imstrongerthanu wrote: »

I thought he was locked out of the computer?
And how can he change that option if he is not administrator?
I'm not the smartest when it comes to this stuff.

Well my first instruction is to be done in Safe Mode (where Administrator is visible).

The second one can be done from the normal login screen. Hope the Admin hasn't a password though.

imstrongerthanu · 24-11-2009 7:35pm

cpu-dude wrote: »

Well my first instruction is to be done in Safe Mode (where Administrator is visible).

The second one can be done from the normal login screen. Hope the Admin hasn't a password though.

I am not aware of any admin account in safe mode on xp home.Are you sure your correct?
Also he would not have access to change the admin account to enable?

cpu-dude · 24-11-2009 7:40pm

imstrongerthanu wrote: »

I am not aware of any admin account in safe mode on xp home.Are you sure your correct?
Also he would not have access to change the admin account to enable?

Every XP install has an Administrator account which is visable on the logon screen from Safe Mode.

This doesn't have a password unless the user added one himself so you can easily logon to this account, go to Control Panel > User Accounts and reset the other accounts password.

imstrongerthanu · 24-11-2009 7:45pm

cpu-dude wrote: »

Every XP install has an Administrator account which is visable on the logon screen from Safe Mode.

This doesn't have a password unless the user added one himself so you can easily logon to this account, go to Control Panel > User Accounts and reset the other accounts password.

I see so it's in safe mode only gotcha.
But how can he get in if he lost his password?

cpu-dude · 24-11-2009 7:52pm

imstrongerthanu wrote: »

I see so it's in safe mode only gotcha.
But how can he get in if he lost his password?

Like I said, the hidden Administrator account is very rarely password protected in XP.

imstrongerthanu · 24-11-2009 8:05pm

cpu-dude wrote: »

Like I said, the hidden Administrator account is very rarely password protected in XP.

Lol ya but he said he needs to reset it?

cpu-dude · 24-11-2009 8:13pm

imstrongerthanu wrote: »

Lol ya but he said he needs to reset it?

He needs to reset his account, not the Administrator account - he can log in as the Admin and reset his account from there.

imstrongerthanu · 24-11-2009 8:22pm

Ah I see.
Well you have a lot of patience listening to me haha.

CrinkElite · 24-11-2009 8:38pm

imstrongerthanu wrote: »

I thought he was locked out of the computer?
And how can he change that option if he is not administrator?
I'm not the smartest when it comes to this stuff.

:pac:

imstrongerthanu wrote: »

try to read your own links

Method 2: Log on as an administrator to reset the password
If you did not create a password reset disk, you may be able to log on as an administrator to reset a forgotten or expired password. The steps to do this differ if the computer is a stand-alone computer or a member of a workgroup of two or more, or a member of a domain. Select the appropriate set of steps from the following to try to log on as the administrator to reset the password.

zazzz · 25-11-2009 12:08am

Thanks for all the replies but I've figured it out. You must have fast user switch mode disabled, classic logon will not work, tried typing in the administrator and password but no luck

MunsterCycling · 25-11-2009 12:42am

imstrongerthanu wrote: »

You cant do that in xp home, only pro.

Please only post when you know what you are talking about, you'll just confuse the OP and others looking for help.

MC

imstrongerthanu · 25-11-2009 12:44am

MunsterCycling wrote: »

Please only post when you know what you are talking about, you'll just confuse the OP and others looking for help.

MC

I'm learning daily so I had to ask a lot of questions also.
I've no ego so im happy to learn thanks guys.
But i am stronger than u

MunsterCycling · 25-11-2009 12:46am

I doubt it, I'm from Munster!

imstrongerthanu · 25-11-2009 1:02am

MunsterCycling wrote: »

I doubt it, I'm from Munster!

Me too!

MunsterCycling · 25-11-2009 1:07am

Ah ha we have a conundrum... Up Munster!

XP hidden account

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