This message just in from “Bill” in South Bend. I have not tested it yet.
Lets say you setup your XPpro laptop to require login accounts instead of just starting up. And lets say for some reason both the administrator and the other user passwords don't work for some reason???? must one reformat ?? no. ------------ This was a bit ... I had logged "restore points" previously so I had a way out. Boot into "command prompt safe mode" the computer ask you for the operating system to load select XP the screen will now show a scrolling list of files it's executing... turn off the computer in the middle of this.... powerup again and use F8 to open the safe mode select screen select "command prompt safe mode" computer will now immediately load with only a horiz growing load line computer will ask you to select login person, select admin and enter c:\ appears goto the C:\windows\system32\restore directory type rstrui.exe, and then press ENTER. The registry resore function will execute and dump you into the normal restore point selection screen. restore from some point Now the system reboots and dumps you into a functioning windows!!!! no login required!!! DONT STOP AT THIS POINT GOTO RUN type in control userpasswords2 this brings up a panel that allows you to reset the admin password!!!! do so. Now exit and reboot with F8 again but select the GUI safemode not command prompt admin acct appears as option, you can now login with the new password as admin you can now setup user accts as normal, reset the "windows" account now then reboot normal windows appears with the "windows" account which you now know the password to. login and setup accounts etc. whew! ---- Received Friday, 17 Jul 2009This may have worked... because I confused an account I set up called administrator with the F8 safe mode admin. The safemode admin may have been blank for a password. may have. it was late and I don't really recall. I'd try it one's self a few times, assuming you have extra time. The neat thing was how it bypassed the login after running the restore to previous ... so...if the safemode admin was really blank, that explains being able to run the restore. it does require a restore point to goto. once running the change userpasswords2 chart, I probably could have changed both the admin and the windows passwords, saving a step. ------------ now I'm stuck trying to create accounts again, instead of just the boot up account, but I need to copy the old just boot up account into them... that way thunderbird recognizes the user. huh...