Bil, I would like to know how to do this. My experience is that if the drive has been formatted NTFS then you can't even access the NTFS drive from a FAT32 boot. I suppose you could convert the system from NTFS to FAT32 using a DOS utility, change the password (as you describe below) and if desired convert the FAT32 back to NTFS. David Lessard Alexandria Electronics Alexandria, Ontario Mr_fixit@xxxxxxxxxxxx -----Original Message----- From: techassist-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:techassist-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Bil Green Sent: Wednesday, June 23, 2004 9:27 PM To: John @ Myers TV Subject: [TechAssist] Re: Windows XP password question Hi John, Don't format just to change the password. All you need to do is access the C: drive from DOS and delete the SAM file. Here how: Boot a Windows 98 boot floppy (or any DOS boot disk) and at the A: prompt type: DELETE C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SAM This will remove all account information and allow total access. If you can't access C: drive using a boot disk then the system is NTFS. E-mail me privately for instructions on how to change it to FAT32 (and then back again). -- Best regards, Bil Green PC 1000 Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546 760-924-1000 mailto:tv.vcrrepair@xxxxxxxxxxx Wednesday, June 23, 2004, 10:14:45 AM, you wrote: JMT> Hi, JMT> I picked up a Gateway laptop at a garage sale a couple weeks ago. JMT> The price? $3.00. I have no doubt that the seller was the original user, JMT> just in case anyone is wondering. JMT> It was an easy repair, but now I am faced with forever logging in as a JMT> guest, unless I can reset the Windows XP Pro password. JMT> Any ideas? JMT> John Myers JMT> Myers TV Service Since 1984 JMT> Alliance, OH JMT> ph 330-821-6545 JMT> ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ----- JMT> Lost Password: JMT> http://www.tech-assist.org and select "Login Problems?". JMT> Email Archives: JMT> //www.freelists.org/archives/techassist/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ----- Lost Password: http://www.tech-assist.org and select "Login Problems?". Email Archives: //www.freelists.org/archives/techassist/ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lost Password: http://www.tech-assist.org and select "Login Problems?". Email Archives: //www.freelists.org/archives/techassist/