need help asap, friend forgot password

[butch81385]

my roommate forgot his password for his account in windows xp, leaving him stranded at the startup screen. he also does not have access to administration because that was locked by the person the made the comp for him (his uncle, whom he can't get a hold of). is there any way to find out the password or reset the user without re-installing windows? i have heard of a disk that will let you change the password before xp boots, but cant find it. thanks for the help

[woodbutcher]

Maybe some help here;

http://www.experts-exchange.com/Oper...7.html#8112972

WB

[butch81385]

i dont know which to use/how to use it since i dont know if he has any encrypted files he needs....

[woodbutcher]

I never did end up using any suggestions listed there.
Have you tried the safe mode method?

WB

[butch81385]

when he hits f8, it just asks him which he wants to boot from (floppy cd or harddrive)

[woodbutcher]

Hmm, you were hitting the F8 key after the BIOS screen and you can't get into the advanced options menu?
I must be missing something as I have never had a problem booting into safe.
???

WB

[SeanC]

That is odd. You should still be able to get into safe mode you'll just need to to enter a login but it should work.

Sean

[butch81385]

if he has his admin passworded, will that affect it?

[VHockey86]

Well you could always boot up Knoppix and backup his data on CDs... I think if you forget your XP password you're pretty much screwed. It doesnt have the same jokish passwords as 95 and 98 did

[butch81385]

it was a new comp, so has nothing on it... should he just reload windows over the old windows or on a dif. hd?