Chiranjib asked about how to change the passwords of users in Windows XP. I just researched and found out five ways to change the password of users in Windows XP. I’m explaining every way one by one. If you know any other interesting way, please let me know through comments.
Using Ctrl Alt Delete
This is the easiest one in my opinion. If your press Ctrl Alt Del when you are logged onto your Windows XP machine, it will show you the classic security options.
Select change password and change the password of the logged on user.
Note: If the security options does not appear. Task manager shows up instead of the security options. Just go to Start –> Control Panel –> User Accounts –> Change the way Users Log on or off.
Uncheck Use the Welcome Screen. Log off and logon again. Now pressing Ctrl Alt Del will show the security options window.
Using Control Panel
To change your password using Control Panel, go to Start –> Control Panel –> User Accounts
Tip: You can also open control panel by Start –> Run –> control. This will open Control Panel.
Select the user for which you want to change the password and select Change my password.
Please note that you may need appropriate privileges to change the password of another user.
Using Command Prompt
To change the password of a user from the command prompt, go to Run –> cmd.
Command prompt will open. Use the following commands to change the password:
net user username password /domain
Replace username with the original username and password with the new password you want to assign to that user. /domain is optional. If you are in a domain environment, specify the domain name otherwise, if you’re using a local user, leave /domain. If I want to change the password of user Sanix to 12345. I will issue the following command at command prompt:
net user Sanix 12345
It will change the password of the user Sanix to 12345. Please note that if you’re not logged on as an administrator, you will get the following error:
“System error 5 has occurred. Access is denied”
If you want to have full usage of the net user command, go to the following Microsoft Article.
Using Control userpasswords2
To use this classic user management, go to Start –> Run –> control userpasswords2
This will open the classic user accounts management window. Select any user and select reset password.
Using Computer Management Console
To use the computer management console to change the passwords of the users, right click My Computer –> Manage –> Local Users And Groups –> Users
Right click the username for which you want to change the password and select Reset Password.
If you have any other method of changing the password, please let me know through comments. Thanks.
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Tags: Chiranjib, classic security, cmd command, command prompt, computer management console, control panel, domain environment, domain name, Management, Microsoft, options window, passwords, privileges, run, security, security options, task manager, user accounts, userpasswords2, welcome screen, Windows XP
July 1st, 2008 at 4:41 pm
Easy and simple! Thank you!
July 1st, 2008 at 11:34 pm
Thanks Natasha, have you found any other way other than those mentioned?
July 2nd, 2008 at 12:28 am
No, I’m just looking forward to the views of professionals
July 3rd, 2008 at 8:17 am
thank uu so mutch 4 Start –> Run –> control userpasswords2
July 4th, 2008 at 11:03 pm
salam:
your web site is very good .plz told me how to change the password of microsoft office files if we forget .
July 5th, 2008 at 6:03 am
Sanix, all the above tricks are very funny,
July 5th, 2008 at 3:39 pm
gr8 but theres a .bat file you can make to change as well cant remember tho
July 6th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
Everybuddy thanks for the appreciation. If you have any great idea or a question in mind, please don’t hesitate to ask us.
William, thanks for letting me know I’m searching for that method so that we can collect every method of changing the Windows password here.
July 19th, 2008 at 3:13 am
TechRepublic had a short video presentation on a bit of Linux software that will change the user password, rest and remove if you wish, accounts with forgotten passwords.
Something like you Install Linux to a Flash drive
boot PC from USB
Run the password routine
set the new password or delete, etc
come out of program and then flush the command and your done.
This does not work if the users account is encrypted, so you lose everything by that method.
July 21st, 2008 at 6:54 pm
yup gud job man.. u can use tis comand too.. lusrmgr.msc.. then just click and add any users and change pwd too. njoy frnds.. 2day only i joined tis forum. i wil rock u soon..
September 4th, 2008 at 11:34 am
how to use net command to change other domain user password ?
September 16th, 2008 at 8:05 am
Dude, if I forget the user name and password of the computer what should i do? or if i forget only the password then how we can find out the password.
March 16th, 2009 at 11:32 pm
I just done this to my schools library computer! Thx mate!
May 14th, 2009 at 8:15 pm
This trick of changing the password by the prompt command help me!