Solutions for Removing Windows XP Password

About Windows XP OS and its password manager

▶ Windows XP system

Although there are many different operating systems available, Microsoft's operating system dominates the market with over 70% market share. One of Microsoft's most notable releases was Windows XP, which was initially introduced as part of the NT family of computer systems.

Windows XP made its debut on August 24, 2001, and it was well-received due to its numerous features and functionality improvements. These included support for IPv4, increased stability, enhanced graphical user interface (GUI), improved imaging features such as Windows Picture and Fax preview, and better image and thumbnail caching in Explorer.

One of the significant advantages of Windows XP was its ability to run efficiently on a machine with just 128 MB of RAM - a notable feat at the time. This contrasts with later versions of Windows, such as Windows 7, which requires a minimum of 700MB of RAM for smooth operation.

▶ Security accounts manager

Security Accounts Manager, also known as SAM, stores all user account passwords in an encrypted format. Due to the one-way encryption method used, these files cannot be decrypted. However, it is possible to access them offline in order to reset passwords if necessary.

To change the password of user accounts on a computer, the net user command can be utilized from the Command Prompt. This versatile command allows for the addition, removal, and modification of user accounts, making it a useful tool for managing accounts and passwords on a system.

3 solutions for removing Windows XP password

Since Windows XP is quite old system for modern users, many users have forgotten password for a long time ago. So, if you happen to find your old Windows XP computer, but you’ve already lost its password, this post is your saver. From this part, we’ll show you 3 methods for removing Windows XP password, you can pick a suitable one for your case.

Method 1. Remove Windows XP password via Safe Mode

Step 1. Restart the computer and press F8 repeatedly until the Advanced Boot Options menu appears.

Step 2. Select "Safe Mode with Networking" using your keyboard arrows, then press Enter.

Step 3. Once logged in, go to "Start" menu and select "Control Panel."

Step 4. In the Control Panel window, select "User Accounts."

Step 5. Click on the account that you want to remove the password for.

Step 6. Click on "Remove Password" button or "Change password" and leave all fields blank, then click "OK."

Step 7. Restart your computer and let it boot up normally.

You should now be able to log in to your account without being prompted for a password.

And if the built-in Administrator account is enabled, you can use it to log in and remove the password for your user account.

To do this, start in Safe Mode, log in as the Administrator account, open "Control Panel," select "User Accounts," click on the account for which you are removing the password, and then click "Remove Password" button or "Change password" and leave all fields blank, then click "OK." Remember to enable the Administrator account again after you've finished.

Method 2. Delete password on Windows XP through another account

If your Windows XP is the Professional version, and there is another account, then this way is your best option.

Step 1. Right-click the My Computer and select Manage to open the Computer Management window.

Step 2. In the pop-up window, locate the following path via the left navigation bar.

Step 3. Then right-click your user account and select Set Password, and follow the on-screen instructions to reset the admin Windows XP password:

System Tools > Local Users and Groups > Users

Step 4. In the new password field, leave the bar blank and select OK.

Now you can close the window and reboot the computer, choose your account to log in directly.

Method 3. Easily remove Windows XP password with a third-party tool

If the above 2 ways are both unsuitable for your case, don’t worry, you can choose a third-party tool to easily fix the problem. Normally, third-party tool is much easier than built-in tools, because most of them have simplified the steps for common users.

For an effective solution to remove a Windows XP password, the AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional is a highly recommended option. This tool is well-known for its reliability and effectiveness in removing passwords on Windows XP systems.

▶ Create password remover bootable USB

Step 1. Install and run AOMEI Partition Assistant on the PC that can log in, and select Tools in the top pane and click Reset Windows Password from the menu.

Step 2. Then, click Next to create a WinPE bootable USB.

Step 3. Choose the USB you prepared and click Proceed.

Step 4. Read the information and click Yes. Wait for a moment, the bootable USB will be created.

▶ Remove Windows password

When the creation is successful, insert the USB into the PC you want to remove the password.

Step 1. Change the boot drive to make PC boot from the USB.

Step 2. When AOMEI Partition Assistant pop out, click Reset Windows Password and click Next.

Step 3. Here, choose the target username and feature. Then, click Next.

Step 4. To reset the password, type in the new password and click Yes. If you want to remove password, select the Remove Account Password.

Conclusion

“How do I remove Windows XP startup password?” if you have this problem, then this post is your answer for removing Windows XP password.

Besides resetting or removing password, AOMEI Partition Assistant can also fix other PC problems like disk cloning, moving installed apps, data-safe MBR /GPT conversion, extending drive space, etc.