We have previously written about how to reset your password in Ubuntu (Reset a Forgotten Password in Ubuntu) and about the benefits of creating a password reset disk and how to create and use one in Windows 7 (Create a Password Reset Disk and Use it to Reset a Forgotten Password in Windows 7).
This post discuses creating and using a password reset disk in Windows XP. The process in Windows XP is almost the same as in Windows 7, with a few differences.
You only need to create a password reset disk for your Windows XP logon password once. You can change your logon password as many times as you want and you can still use the same password reset disk to reset your password if you forget it.
NOTE: Creation of password reset disk requires a USB flash drive or a floppy disk. We recommend using a USB flash drive, as floppy disks may not be as reliable. The Forgotten Password Wizard creates a file called userkey.psw that is only 2KB in size.
Therefore, you only need a low-capacity USB flash drive to store the file. Be sure you store the USB flash drive you use as a password reset disk in a secure place, as anyone can use it to reset your password to one of theirs and access your Windows XP account.
Create a Password Reset Disk
Before you begin creating your password reset disk, you must connect your USB flash drive to the PC. Then, select Control Panel on the Start menu.
On the Control Panel dialog box, click the User Accounts link.
On the User Accounts dialog box, click the Change an account link.
On the Pick an account to change screen, click the account for which you want to create the password reset disk.
Click the Prevent a forgotten password link under Related Tasks.
The Welcome screen of the Forgotten Password Wizard displays. Click Next.
On the Create a Password Reset Disk screen, select the USB flash drive you inserted earlier from the drop-down list. Click Next.
On the Current User Account Password screen, enter your current password in the edit box and click Next.
The progress of the password reset disk creation displays. When the process is finished, click Next.
Click Finish on the Completing the Forgotten Password Wizard screen.
To close the User Accounts dialog box, click the X button in the upper, right corner of the dialog box.
Then, to close the Control Panel, click the X button in the same location on that dialog box.
When you look on your USB flash drive, you will notice the userkey.psw file.
Use the Password Reset Disk to Reset a Forgotten Password
If you have forgotten your password, insert the USB flash drive containing your password reset disk file (userkey.psw). When you enter an incorrect password when logging into your account, a message displays asking if you forgot your password. Click the “use your password reset disk” link in the message that displays.
The Welcome screen of the Password Reset Wizard displays. Click Next.
On the Insert the Password Reset Disk screen, select your USB flash drive from the drop-down list. Click Next.
On the Reset the User Account Password screen enter a new password in the Type a new password edit box and again in the Type the password again to confirm edit box. If you want a hint to display below the Password box on the login screen, enter a hint for yourself in the Type a new password hint edit box. Click Next.
Click Finish on the Completing the Password Reset Wizard screen.
You are returned to the Windows login screen. Type your new password and press Enter to log in.
The password reset disk file works the same way in Windows XP as in Windows 7. Just like in Windows 7, you move the userkey.psw file to another USB flash drive, floppy, or other external drive for safe storage.
You can use this same password reset disk file if you forget your password again, even though you have changed your password. It can also be on a different USB flash drive or a floppy the next time you use it. It is not tied to any hardware.
by Lori Kaufman
[...] NOTE: There is a warning on this screen that the user for whom you are changing the password will lose security-related files in his account. That’s why it is important to add a password to the account when it’s first created, before using the new account, and also important to create a password reset disk now to avoid having to change the password in the future. For information on creating a password reset disk in Windows XP, see our post, Create a Password Reset Disk and Use it to Reset a Forgotten Password in Windows XP. [...]