Windows XP has a wizard for forgotten passwords. It creates a reset disk which can be used to reactivate your user account and personal computer settings in an emergency.

CREATING A RESET DISK: To run the wizard, open "Start I Settings I Control Panel" and then open the "User Accounts" applet. Click the desired account with admin rights and then click "Prevent a forgotten password" in the "Related Tasks" box on the left. Click "Next" and define a drive as the storage location for the disk in the" Forgotten Password Wizard".



The fact that the PCs available today often come without a floppy drive is
not a problem. One can also work with removable disks such as USB sticks or memory cards. In the next step, enter the "Current user account password" in the field with the same name and insert the disk into the previously selected drive. Windows creates and saves the "userkey" file on it. Older restore disks will no longer be valid.

Keep the disk with the current "userkey" in a safe place; otherwise everyone will have access to your computer without the password. USING THE DISK Click your username in the login screen and press [Enter L an empty and incorrect password, if you have forgotten it. The "Click here to use the password reset disk" message appears. Start the" Forgotten Password Wizard" by clicking it. Then click "Next" once, insert the reset disk and again select "Next". You will have to define a new password in the next window and repeat the entry to confirm it. Close the dialog box with "Next" and "Finish" and log into your account with the new password.