Thankful for Windows XP security!

ToddG · ToddG #1 (**permalink**)

05-01-2007, 06:57 PM

After a few months lying dormant on my office floor, today I needed a file on my HP notebook. Well, darned if I couldn't remember the password!

Luckily, a quick search of the internet showed me how to:

1. Start in Safe Mode
2. Log in as the Administrator (with no password)
3. Reset the password
4. Log in normally again

So thank you, thank you Microsoft for putting XP security right where I needed it!

iRye · iRye #2 (**permalink**)

05-01-2007, 06:58 PM

Hahaha, very good find Todd!

stevenyc · stevenyc #3 (**permalink**)

05-02-2007, 10:05 AM

How is that any worse than booting a Mac off of the install cd and resetting the password? At least with XP you would have been kept out if you had set the admin password.

Willem · Willem #4 (**permalink**)

05-02-2007, 10:08 AM

Yes, I don't to see how you not setting a password for the admin account is a Microsoft specific problem. A security system is only as good as the user who admins it.

mac57 · mac57 #5 (**permalink**)

05-02-2007, 05:14 PM

ToddG, could you post the link showing how to do this? I am buying a vintage PC with the aim of restoring it. It comes from a liquidator (take in corporate baggage, sell it cheap). It has Win 2000 on it, and of course it won't go beyond the password prompt. If there is another way in, that would be great. Else I have to wipe it and start fresh. Thanks!

knightlie · knightlie #6 (**permalink**)

05-03-2007, 05:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ToddG

After a few months lying dormant on my office floor, today I needed a file on my HP notebook.

Why were you lying dormant on your office floor?

dtravis7 · dtravis7 #7 (**permalink**)

05-03-2007, 05:33 AM

All the STOCK XP Home OEM installs I have seen on Name Brand machines are usually set up that way. No password on the Admin account. XP Pro is not that way though by default like Home is. I always go and put in an Admin password to keep people that know XP well out of the system. In this case though that would have kept ToddG out of his own HP notebook!! To me it's not a real issue since it can easily be fixed, but should be if your machine is around people you do not trust.

There are ways to get the password if you forget it but most cost $$$. I found a Linux boot CD that claims to allow you to change the Admin or user password on any XP system, but after 10 trys on my Compaq AMD 64 notebook it did not work.

I appreciate OSX's approach so at least one can get into their machine if they have the CD/DVD that came with the machine if they forget their password. Just keep the Install Media away from people!

ToddG · ToddG #8 (**permalink**)

05-03-2007, 05:41 AM

mac57: Don't know if it will work with 2000 or not, but for XP Media Center (which is what's on my HP) I just held down F8 while the computer booted up, chose Safe Mode, and then logged in as username "Administrator" with a blank password.

As for the comparison to OS X, I don't think it's quite the same. Most people don't walk around with an OS X install/boot disk. But almost all of us walk around with a finger capable of holding down the F8 button. :batman:

MacHeadCase · MacHeadCase #9 (**permalink**)

05-03-2007, 05:58 AM

Being completely Windoze illiterate and very proud of being so, *LOL*, what does the F8 key do? Does this bypass the security?

MaDDoG · MaDDoG #10 (**permalink**)

05-03-2007, 06:30 AM

MHC...F8 held down when re booting loads safe mode.

MacHeadCase · MacHeadCase #11 (**permalink**)

05-03-2007, 07:57 AM

Ah! Ok, gotcha!

ambivalent · ambivalent #12 (**permalink**)

05-03-2007, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by knightlie

Why were you lying dormant on your office floor?

lol

ToddG #1 (permalink)
Member Since: Nov 27, 2006 Posts: 2,073	05-01-2007, 06:57 PM After a few months lying dormant on my office floor, today I needed a file on my HP notebook. Well, darned if I couldn't remember the password! Luckily, a quick search of the internet showed me how to: 1. Start in Safe Mode 2. Log in as the Administrator (with no password) 3. Reset the password 4. Log in normally again So thank you, thank you Microsoft for putting XP security right where I needed it! Todd Louis Green Click here to Support the LIVESTRONG Challenge. Unity is strength. Knowledge is power. Attitude is everything.
	QUOTE Thanks

mac57 #5 (permalink)
Member Since: Apr 29, 2006 Location: St. Somewhere Posts: 4,553 Mac Specs: iMac 27" 3.4 GHz, 256 GB SSD, 2 TB HDD, 8 GB RAM	05-02-2007, 05:14 PM ToddG, could you post the link showing how to do this? I am buying a vintage PC with the aim of restoring it. It comes from a liquidator (take in corporate baggage, sell it cheap). It has Win 2000 on it, and of course it won't go beyond the password prompt. If there is another way in, that would be great. Else I have to wipe it and start fresh. Thanks! My Macs: iMac 27" 3.4 GHz, 4 Core, Mac Pro, 3.2 GHz 8 Core, PowerMac G5 Quad, 2.5 GHz, G4 Cube, 1.2 GHz Upgrade My iStuff: 32 GB iPhone 4, 30 GB iPod Video, 16 GB iPod Touch My OS': Mac OS X Tiger, Mac OS X Snow Leopard, Mac OS X Leopard, Mac OS 8.6, openSUSE 10.3, Win XP I was on the Mac-Forums honor roll for September 2007
	QUOTE Thanks

dtravis7 #7 (permalink)
Member Since: Jan 04, 2005 Location: Modesto, Ca. Posts: 25,895 Mac Specs: iMac C2D Late 2007 20" with 10.8.3, Macbook Santa Rosa 4GB Ram OSX 10.8.3	05-03-2007, 05:33 AM All the STOCK XP Home OEM installs I have seen on Name Brand machines are usually set up that way. No password on the Admin account. XP Pro is not that way though by default like Home is. I always go and put in an Admin password to keep people that know XP well out of the system. In this case though that would have kept ToddG out of his own HP notebook!! To me it's not a real issue since it can easily be fixed, but should be if your machine is around people you do not trust. There are ways to get the password if you forget it but most cost $$$. I found a Linux boot CD that claims to allow you to change the Admin or user password on any XP system, but after 10 trys on my Compaq AMD 64 notebook it did not work. I appreciate OSX's approach so at least one can get into their machine if they have the CD/DVD that came with the machine if they forget their password. Just keep the Install Media away from people! Last edited by dtravis7; 05-03-2007 at 05:41 AM.
	QUOTE Thanks

ToddG #8 (permalink)
Member Since: Nov 27, 2006 Posts: 2,073	05-03-2007, 05:41 AM mac57: Don't know if it will work with 2000 or not, but for XP Media Center (which is what's on my HP) I just held down F8 while the computer booted up, chose Safe Mode, and then logged in as username "Administrator" with a blank password. As for the comparison to OS X, I don't think it's quite the same. Most people don't walk around with an OS X install/boot disk. But almost all of us walk around with a finger capable of holding down the F8 button. :batman: Todd Louis Green Click here to Support the LIVESTRONG Challenge. Unity is strength. Knowledge is power. Attitude is everything.
	QUOTE Thanks

MaDDoG #10 (permalink)
Member Since: Jan 01, 2007 Location: Oz.....near the Wizards home Posts: 1,918 Mac Specs: iMac 24' 7 Snow Leopard + Parallels and Win 7 \| 30 Gb iPod \| Canon EOS 400D	05-03-2007, 06:30 AM MHC...F8 held down when re booting loads safe mode. "Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain." MaDDoG's Photo Gallery - http://mcarfa.smugmug.com/
	QUOTE Thanks

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iRye #2 (permalink)
Member Since: Jan 01, 2007 Location: Cow Town, Alberta, Canada Posts: 1,991 Mac Specs: PowerBook G4 15 inch 1.5 GHz, iMac	05-01-2007, 06:58 PM Hahaha, very good find Todd!
	QUOTE Thanks

Willem #4 (permalink)
Member Since: Feb 05, 2007 Posts: 145	05-02-2007, 10:08 AM Yes, I don't to see how you not setting a password for the admin account is a Microsoft specific problem. A security system is only as good as the user who admins it.
	QUOTE Thanks

MacHeadCase #9 (permalink)
Guest Posts: n/a	05-03-2007, 05:58 AM Being completely Windoze illiterate and very proud of being so, LOL, what does the F8 key do? Does this bypass the security?
	QUOTE Thanks

MacHeadCase #11 (permalink)
Guest Posts: n/a	05-03-2007, 07:57 AM Ah! Ok, gotcha!
	QUOTE Thanks

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