XP autologon password - how to find it?

WinXp Home, SP2.

This is an OEM system and it always logs me on as the administrator. It came
that way direct from the seller (Gateway). I dont have the WinXP CD from MS
but a package of 4 CD's with the software on them. Do they have a full
representation of XP - I dont know, but it boots anyway.

I am the only user of my system and not knowing the password to my own
system bugs me. So, i'd like to know what it is, in order to change it if the
need ever arises or if i ever have to input it manually at some point.

A search on password, autologon and admin turned up a lot of msgs but i
didnt really find what i was looking for.

TweakUI has the auto logon checkbox, checked and shows the Users Name
and the Domain name which is a gateway default (i'm assuming this is the
administraitors logon). If i click the "set password" and enter what i want,
will this change the Admin password? What happens if i change the Users
Name and/or the Domain? Can all 3 be changed at once or is 1 at a time
required with a reboot in-between?

Is there a MS reference document(s) somewhere in the MS knowledge base
that i could, should read before changing these fields?

Thank you,
savagcl

 

I can't answer your question concerning TweakUI because I don't use it. However, you can adjust passwords from within Windows.

First, it's likely the Administrator account isn't passworded since it came that way from the factory. The computer has been set up to boot on into Windows using the Administrator account without asking for a password.

If you want to be sure you know what the Administrator password is go to Start>Run, type in "control userpasswords2" (without the quotes), click OK.

In the User Accounts window that opens, click the "Reset Password" button, enter the new password twice, click OK. It doesn't make any difference what the old password was (if there was one), the one you have entered has replaced it.

If you want it to continue to boot straight into your account without asking for a password, uncheck the box for "Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer," click OK. In the box that opens, enter the name and password of the account you want it to boot into (if there is no password, leave the password field blank), click OK. It will automatically boot into that account until you go back and change it.

If you forget the password to the main Administrator account, you could be in deep serious trouble. If you think you might forget the password, go to Control Panel>User Accounts, click on the account you use and then in the left-hand pane click on "Prevent a forgotten password." You'll need a blank, formatted floppy. Then...don't forget where you put the floppy.

Changing a user name is only cosmetic. It doesn't change things back in that user account's "Documents and Settings. "

 

Miz,

Thanks for the procedure. I'll give it a try shortly.
Results will be posted in this thread.

savagcl

 

I just recently purchased a pc from Gateway and they neglected to give me the password ( I was in the same position as you ) anyways after trying to get an answer from Gateway (I was on the phone with them at the time), I tried just using my name as the password... I entered my name like this :

firstname Lastname, it didn't work, then tried firstname_Lastname, I tried
firstnameLastname and it work....then Gateway Support took me off hold hold and asked if they could help me....after 47 minutes... I told the nope, I answered mty own question...

Anyways try your name aswell it might work for you..... Goodluck