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Thread ID: 61739 2005-09-15 02:30:00 Is it possible to change a WinXP Password from the Command Line? Chilling_Silence (9) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
388475 2005-09-15 02:30:00 Just curious if it can be done without having to boot a LiveCD or anything, or without having to use a GUI Chilling_Silence (9)
388476 2005-09-15 02:43:00 It depends. You can probably find the PWL files (if that's what they use these days) but you might need a binary editor, and a way to encrypt the new password in whatever coding MS use. ;) Since DOS never had passwords, there was no PASSWORD programme to be "back-compatible to" from Windows. *nix had passwords (because it's multi-user) before it had GUIs, so there has always been a passwd programme. Graham L (2)
388477 2005-09-15 03:08:00 If you have Admin access to that machine. Have a look at these articles Chill:

Net User command (www.microsoft.com)

How to Change User Password at Command Prompt (support.microsoft.com)
Jen (38)
388478 2005-09-15 03:14:00 But the command line password changing is for various Server versions, not XP. ;) Graham L (2)
388479 2005-09-15 03:27:00 From the first link, it suggests it can be used on standard XP installations. Haven't got XP handy to try it out on here ;)

Also found reference to this on Administrator and User Passwords in Windows XP - kellys-korner-xp.com (www.kellys-korner-xp.com) which didn't mention anything about server installations only. :)

However, I could be wrong :cool:
Jen (38)
388480 2005-09-15 03:36:00 OK, one each. ;) Your second link actually showed that command was for W2k and NT4 as well as the servers. NT4 was a multiuser OS, and was often administered from a commandline/Telnet console. So that's the "back-compatible" to aim at. I hear that there was only one byte different between the user version (which allowed 5 users) and the full (expensive) server version of NT. ;) Graham L (2)
388481 2005-09-15 03:41:00 I just tried the 'net user' command from the second of Jen's links. It works fine in XP Pro for changing user account passwords.

From Control Panel-User accounts a 'Reset Password Disc' floppy can also be made.
Terry Porritt (14)
388482 2005-09-15 04:44:00 Works a treat, thanks Jen

net user %username% %newpassword%

Cheers
Chilling_Silence (9)
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