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Windows Passwords
Windows XP
PC

Setting up or changing passwords in Windows XP

Note: The following instructions are for personally-owned Windows XP Pro or XP Home computers. To change your domain password, you must change it on a public lab or faculty/staff computer using the directions for changing your domain password.

    1. Log in using your Administrator account (this is usually the first account that was set up on your computer which has Computer administrator privileges). This account is denoted by the picture icon that you normally click on to log into the computer.
    2. Click on the Start button and then select Control Panel. Double-click on User Accounts.

      Windows XP User Accounts Control Panel

    3. In the or pick an account to change section, click on the name of a user account that is not password-protected or choose an account whose password you wish to change. If the account is password-protected, then the last line under the name of the user account should say: Password protected.
    4. The contents of the window will change to display the options for the user account. If the account is already password-protected, click on Change the Password. If you are creating a password for the account, click on Create a Password.
    5. Type a new secure password for this user account and then retype it in the next field to confirm it. Note: You should create a secure password that is 6-8 characters in length with at least 2 numbers interspersed throughout the password.
    6. You may skip the field for creating a password hint.
    7. If you are changing the password, click Change Password. If you are creating a password, click on the Create Password button.
    8. You may be asked to make files and folders private. Click Yes.
    9. If you have more than one user account, in the Related Tasks section on the top left hand side of the window, click Change another account.
    10. Repeat steps 3-9 for all of the user accounts that do not list Password protected as one of its properties.
    11. After the passwords are created, close any open windows.
    12. Proceed to the instructions on Windows Updates to patch security holes in Internet Explorer and Windows.

If you have any questions or problems, you can post to the Computing Questions conference on FirstClass at any time. For further assistance, faculty and staff members may call the Helpdesk at x3333 and students may contact their RCCs via the Student Computing Help Form.

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