XP password

[jamesalexander]

My Dell XP is having a memory loss problem that is growing worse. When I need to reboot the system fails to remember my password and asks mme if I forgot my password. Fortunately, it reboots itsel until it eventually remembers the password. The number of reboots it takes to remember is growing. I worry that one day it will forget forever and not let me back in. Anyone, have any idea what is going on here?

Thanks

 

[TheViper]

Have you run an anti-virus program yet?

 

[jamesalexander]

Have you run an anti-virus program yet?

Thanks! and Yes, several times. AVG8; Spybot and the one that comes with Avanquest System Suite.

No virus appears tobe the problem.

 

[btk1w1]

Is it a BIOS password that lets the pc boot or is it the windows one where you log in as a user and provide the password?

If it is the former, is the time incorrect after the pc boots? If so your motherboard battery is dying.

 

[jamesalexander]

Thanks! It is the windows password that the system seemed to have lost. This problem had been with me for awhile and was getting worst. So, without knowing what happened or why, I last night reinstalled XP and that problem is solved. I'm certain I'm going to get some new issues because of the re-install.

 

[xxnideoo]

One method of gaining access to the system is by trying hard to remember the forgotten password, or a password of another user which has the same level of administrative rights. However I don't think this approach will help you, otherwise you wouldn't be sitting here reading article, would you?

Another method is by trying to restore a backed up System State (in Windows 2000/XP/2003) or a ERD (in NT 4.0) in which you do remember the password. The problem with doing so is that you'll probably lose all of the recently add users and groups, and all the changed passwords for all of your users since the last backup was made