Actually, it can be very difficult to bypass XP's Admin password, if it's been set.  As Hugh says, it's probably easier to reinstall Windows.

However, there is something to try.  Reboot and enter Safe mode (F8 key) and try to go in as Administrator.  If no Admin password has been set, Windows will start and the password settings can be rearranged in Control Panel.

When I build an XP system, I always enter my own admin password so that I can get into the system in emergencies.

Ian Porter
Computer Guys Inc.
Arrowtown
New Zealand
[log in to unmask]

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Hugh Vandervoort 
  To: [log in to unmask] 
  Sent: Saturday, September 06, 2003 11:43 AM
  Subject: Re: [PCBUILD] BIG problem with prior networked computer


  There are solutions for this problem-just do a google search for"xp admin
  password".
  The usual procedure seems to involve dwonloading a password cracker or a
  Linux boot disk.
  My thought is, since she needs to do all this "housekeeping" anyway, that
  you just reinstall XP.
  *********************
  My friend received a computer (running WinXP on a 400 MHz, PII) which
  appears to have originally been a networked computer (she was never given
  the administrator's password, of course!). She needs to defrag,
  remove cookies, and do other "housekeeping" functions, but she is unable
  to
  so as she gets an error message stating that she does not have system
  administrator rights to those functions (her computer has slowed to
  almost a
  standstill - it takes FIVE MINUTES for any click to respond!).  Is there
  a work around for this problem?

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