XP Pro won't accept Passwords ?

I applied Passwords to the 2 accounts but when tried to access next boot Windows doesn't recognise any password I try? I've tried booting in Safe Mode but cannot get past the Login page even when asking for Command Prompt? Ive insertad the CD-ROM but cannot get it to boot up? Any suggestions??

 

Try again with Caps Lock in its alternate state.
If you originally tried with it Off, try it again with it on.

If no joy this can be the result of a poor sysprep of the original installation. See: http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=815229

Question: can you logon as Administrator in Safe Mode? For XP Home that is the only logon permitted.

In XP Pro, do Ctrl+Alt+Delete twice and see if you can do a security panel logon.

If you are using XP Pro and changed the password of the Administrator we could be looking at a clean install of XP.

 

It won't accept any password given in Safe Mode but I will try your suggestions later, thank-you.

 

I have similar problem on machine I took back form a closed office. Looks like someone put a password on the macine for logon to XPPro.
Can't login as Adninistrator (blank password). Ctrl-Atl-Del-Del doesn't pull up a security logon screen. Of course the employee who packed up the machines has 'lost' the rebuild CD shipped with the original machines.

I have another XP Pro machine at home. Any chance I can build a recovery CD on it & use on the those from the closed office?

 

Can't post anything here because it would open Pandora's box and is also against forum rules but if one looks around and looks hard enough, there are certainly answers to both of these dilemmas.

 

Rockster2U, Not sure I understand, but sure don't want to break any rules. Could U send better info to Removed by moderator for your security

 

Thank you all. It turned out that the Dell was still under waranty. So the tech support persona was in the US and VERY helpful. There's a key sequence to use during POST that allows you to rest passwords, with them on the line.