Forgotten your Windows XP Home password? - Part 2: Using a password reset disk

Article ID: 894901 - View products that this article applies to.
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SUMMARY

This article is Part 2 of the Forgotten your Windows XP Home password? guide. This part explains how to use a password reset disk.

Note To view the other topics of the Forgotten your Windows XP Home password? guide, see the Microsoft Knowledge Base articles that are listed in the "References" section.

The Forgotten your Windows XP Home password? guide includes the following topics: 
Part 1: Introduction
Part 2: Using a password reset disk
Part 3: Setting a new password as an administrator
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MORE INFORMATION

Ideally, you would create a password reset disk for your user account at the earliest opportunity. If you have a password reset disk, you can use the Password Reset Wizard to decrypt the forgotten password and to enter a new password. Password reset disks are easy to create.

How to use the password reset disk

  1. Microsoft Windows remembers if you have created a password reset disk. Just click use your password reset disk.
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    Type your password box/Did you forget your password? bubble
  2. Click Next.
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    Password Reset Wizard Welcome page
  3. Insert the password reset disk in the disk drive, and then click Next.
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    Insert Password Reset Disk (in Wizard)
  4. Enter a new password, enter it again to confirm it, and then, optionally, set a password hint.
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    Choose new password (in Wizard)
  5. Click Next, and then click Finish.
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    Password Reset Wizard Complete page
  6. Log on by using the new password.

How to create a password reset disk

  1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
  2. Double-click User Accounts.
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    User Accounts icon
  3. Click your user account, and then click Prevent a forgotten password. The Forgotten Password Wizard starts.
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    User Accounts/Tasks window
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    List of account options/Prevent a forgotten password selected
  4. Click Next.
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    Forgotten Password Wizard Welcome page
  5. Insert a blank disk in the disk drive, and then click Next.
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    Insert blank disk (in Wizard)
  6. Type your current password, and then click Next.
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    Enter current password (in Wizard)
  7. When the disk is created, click Next, and then click Finish.
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    Creating disk/progress (in Wizard)
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    Forgotten Password Wizard Complete page

Note

A password reset disk is valid until you create a new one. It is valid even if you change your password. Therefore, take good care of your disk. If you ever misplace the disk, create a new one as soon as possible. Because the old disk is no longer valid as soon as a new disk has been created, the old disk cannot be used inappropriately by someone else.
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Replace Previous Disk? Yes/No
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REFERENCES

For more information, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
894900
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/894900/ )
Forgotten your Windows XP Home password? - Part 1: Introduction
894902
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/894902/ )
Forgotten your Windows XP Home password? - Part 3: Setting a new password as an administrator
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Properties

Article ID: 894901 - Last Review: April 10, 2006 - Revision: 1.2
APPLIES TO
  • Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
Keywords: 
kbgraphxlink kbhowto KB894901
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