Windows XP Password Recovery - Using Your Password Hint
If you forget your Windows XP login password this scenario can be frustrating to say the least:
Fortunately Windows XP includes a feature to help you to remember your password should you ever forget it.
The password hint is available at login time, and doesn't require that you know your password - in fact anyone can see your password hint, so it's important to keep obscure enough that it won't be enough for someone to be able to guess your password.
To access your password hint, just click the question mark at the far right of the login section:
In this case the password hint was set to "Standard Password #1" - perhaps case where an individual uses an unchanging collection of some number of passwords, and the hint indicates which should be used.
Unfortunately a password hint must be set up before it's needed. A good password hint can save the day, but only it it's in place.
To set up a password hint in Windows XP use the User Accounts applet in Control Panel. Click on "Change an account", click on the account you wish to change, and then click on "Change my password".
You don't have to change your password to add a password hint. Just type the same password for all three of old, new and new confirmation. Then any password hint you enter will simply be added or updated.
Password hints are an often overlooked, but easy way to recover yoru forgotten Windows password.
Set one up, and that's one way you know you won't lose your password.