Lost password in Windows XP

[Sims2789]

I need a free (as in price, preferably as in freedom) boot disc that'll give me a Windows XP password. I don't need one of those services that'll email it to you in 72 hours or something stupid like that. I need a plain old boot disc/LiveCD that'll tell me lost passwords. Thanks.

I also don't have BitTorrent access right now so it must be legal or downloadable from the internet.

 

[Zelig]

See Hiren's boot CD.

 

[Till]

I haven't had to try it myself yet, but had tool bookmarked. It's under GPL.

 

[Sims2789]

I need something that'll just give me the password, not delete it and let me put in a new one.

Preferably something easy to use since I'll be snail mailing it to a technically inept friend. I've heard there's Linux LiveCD's like this with instructions that are better than "just cd it" when you ask them what directory the password is stored in.

One of those LiveCD's whose sole purpose is to convince potential switchers that Windows is better because Linux stuff is hard to use won't cut it. I need something that'll just give me the darn password and not delete the old password and screw up encrypted files. Thanks.

Sorry if I sound angry but sometimes I get the feeling that fellow Linux guys make stuff that's hard to use to impede people from crossing into "our" exclusive Linux club.

 

[Sims2789]

Thank you though. I'll try the registry editor and see if it's satisfactorily easy, since I doubt my friend has any encrypted files.

 

[Zelig]

I don't think it's possible (or at least, easily) to recover a password from XP.

In any case, generally, if the password is being removed for a legit reason, there's no problem with removing the password and setting a new one.

 

[Genocidicbunny]

Well, im gonna assume that since you dont want to replace it, its not for legitemate reasons. As such, Im mildly cautious about helping you. But I will say this: there are linux-based boot cd's that will allow you to see and change the password on an XP machine.

 

[Sims2789]

Well, im gonna assume that since you dont want to replace it, its not for legitemate [sic] reasons. As such, Im mildly cautious about helping you. But I will say this: there are linux-based boot cd's that will allow you to see and change the password on an XP machine.

I don't want to replace it because I don't want to screw up encrypted files.

 

[Genocidicbunny]

Then a simple search on google for 'recovering XP password' will give you all you need.