XP Security

This is a basic way to get into windows XP without a password (normally) incase your sister changes your password etc. It is also a good idea to secure this account in an office, etc.
Also this is not generally a good idea if the PC is not yours. Probably Illegal.

Step 1: Start your PC in safe mode

When you turn on your PC tap F8 as it is starting, and before it gets to the XP loading screen it should bring up a list of start options (normal, safe mode, safe mode with networking, last known good configuration etc). Pick Safe mode.

Comments

[INdiSTRUCTable-samoan]

SWEET - CHEERS BROTHER, so easy yet so effective. I bet this helps a lot of people. Thank you very much for taking the time. Peace brother.

[thegeeke]

Did you know that you can get to the old style login without rebooting? (Watch out for the CMOS password when you do that!) To get to the old style login from the standard login: press ctrl-alt-del. You may have to hit it more than once.

[vrw]

On XP-Home one can't put a password for admin. Logging in as admin always takes you inside without asking for pwd. ( I was shocked when I came to know) In XP-pro you can put password for admin

[kerpaul]

There's a way to do this for any account (with only the username and an account on the computer / network) search kerpaul.

[n4zou]

Boot the computer with any Linux live-CD, after boot mount the hard drive if your Linux did not do so automatically. Change anything you want in the pass word files. If you want real security load Linux on a USB flash drive and take it with you when you leave the computer. After a few weeks with Linux you can take the Windows hard drive out of the computer because you'll discover how poor an OS it "was" and you never need listen to a hard drive thrashing around like an out of balance washing machine as Windoze scatters data randomly to all parts of the plater.

[edgar_brazda]

You are a pure GENIUS!!!

[stranoster]

Thanks :)

[fleetnewsservice]

"Click it. It will normally enter with no password." Problem with this is that most administrators with some brains will have put a password on that account. My dad did when he found out I was changing settings on our family computer.

[milo0is0hot0]

well actually i know a teacher who owns a 'school owned laptop' and there was no admin password set by the administrator!

[x_caliber]

Your technique is OK! but how to bypass the password if the administrator user already have their password, what i mean here is if someone already put the password before U.

[vaiden]

Yep, the way to access safemode is to press F8 just after your pc passes control from the bios to ntldr.exe. This is the end of the POST process also known as power on self test. You can tap it a few times during the beginning of boot and your pc will likely beep at you saying you are too early. Then it will give you a list of boot options. Safemode is a nice one to choose and you can follow stranosters advice, or you could choose to type lusrmgr.cpl at the run prompt. You should not be running XP without an admin pass, because then you are sharing your entire pc over the internet when you are connected. Look at my comments on the other windows password hack instructables for more info.

[Dantex]

sisters should fall!!!

[mmzdaniel]

brothers FTW!

[callumadamson]

thank you very much.. you just saved me loads of work !!!!!!!

[iceiclepop]

(removed by author or community request)

[myrhymeandreason]

Doesn't Windows even tell you that you can do that with the Admin account?

[stranoster]

I don't think it does.

[!Andrew_Modder!]

(removed by author or community request)

[climber_geek]

(removed by author or community request)

[!Andrew_Modder!]

..Umm i wasnt the one that screwed up the pc, and the school threw the pc away in the dumpster, cause they had like 10 extra brand new pc's not being used,stowed away in a office-copyroom. Beats me why they didn't call for repair, they were just laisy and threw it away. :-| (if anything i helped recycle.) .sorry if that offended you. somehow¿

[acid rain]

F8 gets me to the menu w/ safe mode on my Fujitsu Lifebook

[dasarp]

Try this instructable on getting Windows Passwords:
http://www.instructables.com/id/SAEPSY3F1B3RBOT/

[adminsenemy]

http://www.instructables.com/id/EJOKMPQ2HYEZIXDN23

For local stored data this is better

[LamaBot]

Well if I am working at company A at computer B, while the boss is working at computer C and I try the above instructable on computer C without my boss's consent, then yes, it is illegal, by all means. You've got to understand, if you're instructable is not good compared to theirs, they'll put it down. They never compliment the effort you'd made to even make it, a lot of the times. This instructable would be good as a reference, in case of a similar situation ever occurs. Kudos. LamaBot

[ColumbusGEEK]

Its not illegal by any means. If your work IT department doesnt know how to properly secure the company workstations then poo on them.

[kutza]

That is not even close to being a hack... Any office that doesn't have a remote login, should have their IT fired. M'ost don't use local accounts, so this is a moot point in offices.

[stranoster]

It is if you don't actually own the computer.

[kaputa]

Thanks it works

[tAK]

For anyone who didnt set a Windows Administrator password during the setup, this will work. For everyone else, you will need a Password Reset Disc, they do exist, and they are not at all hard to find, no need to crack anything, it can insert its own password hash. To protect against this? simple... set your HDD as first boot device in the BIOS, if possible, prevent boot from CD/Floppy/USB, and set a BIOS password, if possible (not all bios's support it, set a startup password also (this will be requested after POST but BEFORE windows loads)

[stranoster]

I didn't submit this as I was going to find a suitably safe one for download first. Thanks though!

[revolution]

i have a program the crax the windows log in password. Its a bootable program that gets the pass within 1-5mins. If you want it, say the magic word.

[revolution]

ah.. nice and easy...
Who doesnt know this =.=

What if the user disabled safe mode ( this is possible for ADVANCED users that know their computers )

[stranoster]

OK F8 in some according to Tinlad so try that first. its just those are the two I have come across.

[domas]

It was always F8 and it will be. This is the default key on windows (there is nothing in connection with your motherboard).

F8 is for most (windows can be modified etc.) versions:
Windows 95
Windows 98
Windows XP

Except for Windows 3.x while there was no such mode (as I can remember).

[dev45]

in DOS it will give you the option to confirm each line in the autoexe.bat and config.sys

[trebuchet03]

Mine's f11 ;) or was it f12... I can never remember that one...

[Chairman Wow]

You don't need to go into safemode to access the Administrator account. If you press ctrl-alt-del at the screen which offers you the choice of which account to log into, you will be given a normal username/password log-in box. Just type in administrator here and click ok.

[Chairman Wow]

You don't need to go into safemode to access the Administrator account. If you press ctrl-alt-del at the screen which offers you the choice of which account to log into, you will be given a normal username/password log-in box. Just type in administrator here and click ok.

[stranoster]

This is a hidden account that is accessed in safe mode.

[Ian01]

Doesn't everyone know how to add a password to their account?