The Ephemeric

One of the more annoying (albeit preventable) things you can do is forget your computer password. When this happens however one can fix the problem simply by logging into their administrator account and resetting the password. But what do you do if you forget your administrator password? I know some people who have uninstalled and reinstalled windows because of this problem, however it is a problem which can be circumvented.

Things You’ll Need:
Windows CD-ROM
PC that supports a bootable CD-ROM

Step 1:
Access your BIOS when your computer is starting up. How you do this depends on your computer. Common commands include holding F2, F10, ctrl + alt + F1 or delete as your computer boots. Most computers will tell you what to press on the initial boot screen. Once there, modify your BIOS so that it will boot from the Windows CD-ROM. Insert the Windows CD into the drive and boot up the PC. Watch the screen messages until you see the prompt: "Press any key to boot from CD."

Step 2:
Boot up and eventually you will see the Windows 'setup' screen. It will ask you if you want to repair or install, press 'R' to initiate the repair process. This may take a few minutes, the computer will automatically reboot afterwards.

Step 3:
Open a command prompt after your PC reboots and resumes setup. To do this in Windows XP, watch the bottom left-hand side of your screen until you see a progress bar that reads: "Installing devices," and then press the "Shift + F10." This will open a command console.

Step 4:
You can now gain access to your Control panel. Type nusrmgr.cpl and press enter.

Step 5:
Use the tools provided to reset your passwords. When you are done, close the control panel and then type in "Exit" to close your command console. Allow the repair to complete as usual. You will then be able to log on using your new password.