Protecting your computer with a strong, unique password remains incredibly important. You can protect your smartphone or laptop with a fingerprint, iris, and other biometric scanners. However, a strong unmarried-use countersign is a vital layer of protection.

But what happens if you forget your Windows XP password? Are you lot locked out of your Windows XP business relationship for adept?

Luckily, that's not the example. Here are five ways to reset the administrator password on your Windows XP laptop or computer.

1. Reset Windows XP Password Using Ctrl+Alt+Del

If your Windows XP system is fix up to log in via the Welcome Screen, there is a chance you'll exist able to log in as the system administrator. Unfortunately, this is also dependent on there existence no existing password on the Ambassador business relationship.

windows xp login screen admin
  1. When yous boot your organisation, it volition load the Welcome Screen. Press Ctrl + Alt + Delete twice to load the user login panel.
  2. Press OK to attempt to log in without a username or password. If that doesn't work, effort typing Administrator into the Username field and pressing OK.
  3. If you're able to log in, head directly to Command Panel > User Account > Change Account. Then, select the account that you'd like to change the password for, and follow the on-screen instructions.

Note that this won't work in afterwards Windows versions because the Administrator business relationship is disabled by default. Find out more in our guide to recovering a lost Windows admin password in newer versions.

two. Reset Windows XP Password Using Condom Mode and Control Prompt

If your Windows XP Ambassador account remains frustratingly out of reach, you can attempt to reset the password using Safe Way and the Command Prompt.

windows xp safe mode command prompt option

To access Windows XP Safe Mode, yous demand to restart your computer.

  1. Printing F8 while the figurer is booting. (Sometimes tapping F8 helps if y'all're unsure.)
  2. Select Prophylactic Mode with Command Prompt.
  3. Once you enter Rubber Way, head to Control Panel > User Account > Change Account. Then, select the account that yous'd like to change the password for, and follow the on-screen instructions.

Reset Windows XP Password Using the Command Prompt

However, at that place are times when certain computer issues will obstruct y'all from changing user settings, east.g., a virus. In those cases, you lot can use the Control Prompt from inside Safe Mode.

From within Safe Mode, press Windows Key + R to open up the Run dialog. Type CMD and press Enter. This opens the Command Prompt. Now, type the post-obit command:

                      cyberspace            user            [account name]            [new countersign]

It should await like this:

windows xp command prompt change password screen

The command selects your account and sets a new password. If you want to clear the countersign and prepare a new i at a later engagement, use the following control:

          net user [account name]            "            "

3. Reset Windows XP Password via Another Account

Resetting your Windows XP countersign via an alternative account simply works if you are using Windows XP Professional.

  1. Start by right-clicking My Estimator and selecting Manage.
  2. Then, select System Tools > Local Users and Groups > Users. Observe your user account, right-click, and select Set Countersign.
windows xp user account password change options

Reset Windows XP Password via Remote User Management

If you lot cannot access Figurer Management using your ain or an alternative account, you can use remote access instead.

On a different reckoner (it doesn't take to be Windows XP, but it does accept to be a Windows machine):

  1. In the Reckoner Direction window, correct-click Estimator Management (Local).
  2. Select Connect to another figurer, then select Some other Computer.
  3. Enter the IP address of the computer you desire to connect to. If yous're on the same network, information technology will have the form of an internal LAN accost, such 192.168.x.10. Alternatively, if y'all know the computer name, you can use that, east.g., \\DesktopPC.
windows xp remote access

If you're unsure and continued to the same network:

  1. Select Scan, then Advanced.
  2. Now, select Detect Now to scan your local network for computers on your network.
  3. Once you gain remote access, change the password past heading to System Tools > Local Users and Groups > Users.
  4. Detect your user account, right-click, and select Set Password.
windows xp find a computer on the same network

4. Reset Windows XP Countersign Using a Linux LiveCD or USB

If you've made information technology this far and are nonetheless locked on, this is the Windows XP countersign reset ready for yous.

You tin employ a Linux LiveCD or USB to unlock Windows XP and reset your countersign. A Linux LiveCD or USB runs directly from the media and doesn't require installation. Furthermore, some Linux distributions have special tools for unlocking Windows systems, or you could use a Windows recovery disc.

We've previously detailed the process of installing a Linux distro on a CD or USB, as well equally how to reset a password. However, I'll give you a rundown of how to reset your locked Windows XP administrator business relationship right hither.

  1. Make your bootable Linux CD or USB bulldoze. You could besides check out how to install Ubuntu via a flash drive.
  2. Reboot the Windows XP motorcar. Printing either F12, ESC, or Delete to choose your boot device. Select your CD or USB drive when prompted.
  3. Printing Ctrl + 50 to edit the Location Type calculator:/// to see all your drives. Select your Windows installation, right-click, and select Mount.
  4. Open the Linux Terminal past pressing Ctrl + Alt + T. Run the following command to install countersign reset utility chntpw: sudo apt-get install chntpw. (Ignoring the period.)
  5. Change the working directory using the post-obit control: cd /mnt/Windows/System32/config
  6. Call back a listing of Windows users using the following command: sudo chntpw -1 SAM. (Ignoring the catamenia.)
  7. Find your account username. So, employ the following command to select the business relationship: sudo chntpw -u "USER NAME" SAM. So, type iito enter editing fashion.
  8. Type a new password, hit Enter to submit, and y to confirm.
  9. Reboot into Windows and use the new password.

5. Reset Windows XP Password: Full Format and Reinstallation

If nothing but nil else works, and you're still somehow locked out of your business relationship, there is merely one more than selection: fire. Okay, not burn down. Simply you will have to remove your difficult drive from its host machine, connect it to another machine to consummate a fill-in, and then format the drive.

One time the format is complete, you can reinstall Windows XP and enter a new countersign that you lot can actually retrieve.

Windows XP Password Reset Complete

One of the tips and tricks we've covered should have helped you lot reset your Windows XP account countersign. Hopefully, you lot didn't take to resort to a full system nuke and reinstall—that can be a real pain!

How to Download and Install Windows XP for Free

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Virtually The Author

Gavin Phillips (1048 Articles Published)

Gavin is the Junior Editor for Engineering Explained, a regular correspondent to the Actually Useful Podcast, and a frequent product reviewer. He has a caste in Gimmicky Writing pillaged from the hills of Devon, and more than a decade of professional writing experience. He enjoys copious amounts of tea, board games, and football.

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