"Old XP Pro PC, Forgotten Password" Topic

HI folks,

I'll be taking this to my PC Support folks at work come Tuesday if I can't figure it out, but in the meantime, I'm wondering it anyone else might be able to help.

I am trying to power up an old laptop from work. It's been sitting at home for close to 8 years and in a major office move last week, I found the adapter. I came home plugged it in and it powered up smartly (for 250kb RAM). Unfortunately, on the Log On to Windows screen, I'm stuck. I can't remember the password I last used on this for the life of me. There are a number of options for "log on to", including this computer and the network at work, which has gone through several sets of IT support staff since this machine last lit its screen.

Is there anyway to bypass this, other than reformatting the machine? There are numerous documents from work and personal I would like to try and copy.

Thanks in advance for any help.
--
Tim

There are a lot of password recovery programs out there, simple search got these, for example:

link

YouTube link

It may be that if you can't use these directly, do you have a 2.5" external drive enclosure? Would it be possible to put the laptop drive on as a slave to another machine, then use password recovery tools indirectly?

Mainly thinking out loud – won't pretend I've ever tried anything like this.

As it boots and when windows starts to load, hit f8 key continuously and it should let you select safe mode. For username type administrator, then go to control panel and select user account and modify pw. Then reboot in normal mode.

That was a workaround for my home PC; whether it will work on a network machine I don't know…….I'd try using login " the computer " not the network login?

Do you have a Domain at your place of work?

Go into the office, connect the laptop to the netowork and log in with your current credentials.

If that does not work then ask one of your IT colleagues to log the laptop onto the domain using one of the Domain Admin accounts and once logged in have them reset your password on the laptop.

Thanks folks.

I think it will have to be what scrivs says. I've tried what korsunO suggested and similar advice I've found elsewhere but regardless of trying in safe mode, or command prompt/DOS mode, I still get the log in screen.

I'll have to see what out PC Support guys might be able to do, later in the week.

Thanks again,
--
Tim