How to Retrieve Password on Windows XP

If you forget the password to one of the accounts on your PC, you can use the Safe Mode of Windows XP to retrieve and reset the password. All login information is stored in a system file on your hard drive. When running in Safe Mode, you have the ability to reset that system file and select a new administrator password for your computer.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• PC running Windows XP

1. Restart your computer. As the operating system loads, press the "F8" key to boot into Safe Mode.

2. Click on the "Administrator" account in the login window.

3. Open the "Start" menu and choose "Run."

4. Type "cmd" into the text field and hit "OK" to launch the Windows XP command prompt.

5. Type "cd C:\Windows\System32" into the command line and hit "Enter." This command will point to the location of the core Windows XP system files.

6. Use the "copy logon.scr logon.bak" command to create a backup of your current login information. If for some reason resetting the password is not successful, you can revert to this backup.

7. Enter "copy CMD.EXE logon.scr" and choose "Yes" when prompted.

8. Type "net user administrator newpassword" into the command prompt, replacing "newpassword" with the password you want to use.

9. Restart your computer in standard mode and log in using the new password you created.

References

• Retrieving a Lost Password