If you have XP Pro on your computer, at the log in screen type
ctrl-alt-delete
twice. In the user account type administrator, leave the password blank and
press enter. You likely didn't create a password for this hidden account
during setup and if the computer was purchased with XP pre-installed it
doesn't likely have one either,
If you have Home, boot into Safe Mode (F8 after the post test and before
Windows starts. Once Windows starts loading, you've missed it and will have
to try again). You'll have an option to log on as Administrator. Again,
the same procedure, you'll be asked to log in to get into safe mode, type
administrator, leave the password blank and press enter.
This will get you in. Then go to Control Panel, user accounts, select the
specific user and select change password. Once you've changed the password
it would be advisable to create a Password Reset Disk by clicking "Prevent a
Forgotten Password" link in the left pane.
To: [email protected] (RBG7-L Mailing List)
From: Michael Moser <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent by: [email protected]
Date: 03/26/2005 01:31PM
Subject: [RBG7-L] - Off Topic: NTFS Encryption - watch out
Hi All,
I hit a problem today so I have a warning and a questions.
I am using XP Pro on a simple workgroup workstation (not on a domain). I was the only user, configured as an administrator user, and I had some encrypted folders with financial information. I read a Microsoft article that suggested that normal users should not be configured as Administrator users for security reasons when browsing web pages, etc. Made sense to me so I created another user with Administrator privileges. Logged in as the new user, changed my normal login from Administrator to Limited, then added the user to the Power Users group. I changed the password and logged off. When I logged in with my normal user, the encrypted files could no longer be opened. Restoring my user account to administrator status did not help. It appears that the SID was changed but to my knowledge it is not possible to change the SID for a user account without deleting the account and changing passwords or permissions certainly should not do it.
The warning: Be careful that your encrypted folders are backed up prior to changing account settings.
The Question: Anyone have any ideas on resources or procedures to try to get the files back? I normally do weekly backups but I was really busy the last three months and yada, yada, yada .........
Happy Easter everyone!
Best regards,
Michael
Michael Moser
EXAQ Micro Services
www.exaq.com
Phone: 916-966-8313
Fax: 916-966-8313
