OT: computer password problem

[Black Forest]

Today my computer decided to not accept my windows user password. I tried rebooting several times. I took the battery out of the motherboard to try and reset the cmos. I went online to look for a solution but didn't find one that worked.

So anyone have anything they would share with me as to what I can do to get access to my files on my C drive?

[hsm'er]

Make sure Caps Lock is off and Num Lock is on.

If that fails, use this: http://pogostick.net/~pnh/ntpasswd/

[Jaakko Fagerlund]

At a friends computer, install a Linux on a USB stick and boot your computer from that. Then you are able to browse your hard drive and copy everything you need, just in case.

Other option is to remove the hard drive and install it in another computer as a slave drive and access it that way.

No passwords required, unless you have encrypted drive.

[flylo]

Probably overloaded it with Volvo pics!

[Peter.]

Today my computer decided to not accept my windows user password. I tried rebooting several times. I took the battery out of the motherboard to try and reset the cmos. I went online to look for a solution but didn't find one that worked.

So anyone have anything they would share with me as to what I can do to get access to my files on my C drive?

Log on as USER: Administrator, and leave the password blank, since that is the default for windows.

[Lew Hartswick]

If it's a personal computer and only used by you then it serves you right for ever using a password. :-) The fewer things that get put
on a computer the fewer things to go wrong. :-)
...Lew...

[fredf]

Make sure Caps Lock is off and Num Lock is on.

If that fails, use this: http://pogostick.net/~pnh/ntpasswd/

doesn't apply to a desktop but on a LT make sure num lock is OFF!

Make SURE your username is correct

Try another keyboard. and / or watch to see if each keypress causes ONE new dot. As a quick check try entering your password as a user name to view the keyboard output

if a USB keyboard, try a different port. Note that windows may take a few minutes to find keyboard on a different port


I like to use a password even if I am the only one on the machine. and Administrator should NEVER have a blank password. On Vista and above the administrator account doesn't exist by default

there are Linux boot cd's that can be used to reset the windows password; or as a previous poster mentioned you can copy files IF YOU DID NOT SPECIFY AN ENCRYPTED FILE SYSTEM

[needlenose]

As has already been mentioned, use a bootable cd/dvd to change the admin password. The ISO will be about 10MB and the entire change process will take about 60sec (if that).

Of course, if it's the only computer you have, the burning process will be a little complicated...

[Black Forest]

Hey Lew, did anyone ever tell you that you are a Ähole! Well now they have! I don't wish you any serious harm but being constipated for a week would seem justified.

There are many reasons to have a password on a sole user personal computer.

[Black Forest]

I got it fixed. I ran a linux based registry editor and removed the password. Thank you for your help.