Kilian's Illustrated Windows XP and Software Guide

Sections in this index (click on the links to go there quickly):

[1] Windows XP - articles on aspects of Windows XP

On other pages:

[1.1] Windows XP Security Updates (information since June 2004) Archive only: no longer updated.

[3] Windows Code Name "Longhorn" → pages deleted

[5] Software/Utility/Script download

This website uses many graphics so you need broadband ideally. It is best viewed using desktop resolution of 1024x768 or above.

*** SELECTED TOPICS OF SPECIAL INTEREST***

Administrator password: abridged version in Traditional Chinese (19 June 2006)

Remote (Network) Registry Editing (4 Apr 2005)

Administrator password: Part 3 Offline NT Password and Registry Editor 050303 (25 Mar 2005)

Registry editing using Console Registry Tool reg.exe (22 Mar 2005)

The System Preparation Tool (Sysprep) in Windows XP: an Overview (27 Feb 2005)

Microsoft Windows PE: an Introduction (5 Dec 2004)

Wireless Network Security in Windows XP (5 Dec 2004, revised and updated 27 Feb 2005)

Unattended installation (25 Oct 2004, updated 29 Apr 2007)

Administrator password: how to reset (in nine parts) - the first page updated 24 Oct 2005

1. Windows XP

Administrator password in Windows XP: how to reset if you forget it
(Revised and expanded in nine parts)

A detailed guide to reset the Administrator and administrative user account password with a critical appraisal of the currently available methods. Read it before you forget yours.

Part 1 Introduction, Password Reset Disk, Consequences

Part 2 Logon message, Password Reset Wizard, methods to reset the Administrator or administrative user passwords: an overview (revised and expanded 6 Sept 2004)

Methods to reset the Administrator or administrative user password: individual methods in detail - not covered in Microsoft website or in MCSE/MCSA course books!

Part 3 Offline NT Password and Registry Editor 040116
Part 3a Offline NT Password and Registry Editor 050303

Part 4 EBCD 0.6/0.6 Pro

Part 5 Austrumi 0.84

Part 6 Windows XP/2000/NT Key; Passware Kit Enterprise

Part 7 CIA Commander 1.0

Part 8 ERD Commander 2002/2003 Locksmith utility

Part 9 Methods not tested, ineffective methods, Summary

Traditional Chinese page (abridged version)***NEW***

Automatic logon

Disable Auto check disk on reboot

Disable Guest account access to shared folders or drives (updated 27 Feb 2005)

Disable Simple File Sharing (Windows XP Professional only)

Enhancing Windows XP Home edition

Add the Group Policy editor to Windows XP Home edition (for testing purpose)

Add systeminfo.exe to Windows XP Home edition

Installing NTBackup in Windows XP Home Edition and running NTBackup in Windows XP

Windows 9x Fdisk and Windows XP

How to use a Windows 9x fdisk command to delete NTFS partitions. You don't have or need fdisk any more in Windows XP but many users are still addicted to using this archaic tool.

Fdisk Part I revised 7 Dec 2004

Fdisk Part II revised 7 Dec 2004

Group Policy Editor (Win XP Pro and Windows Server 2003 only)

Part I: Introduction and Group Policy Object mmc snap-in

Part II: Add Group Policy Object to the mmc console and the Group Policy Editor

Part III: Console Tree Structure

Part IV: A closer look at some useful policy settings (updated 16 Aug 2004)

Autoplay, Messenger, NoSaveSettings, DisableRegistryTools, NoRecentDocsMenu, ClearRecentDocsOnExit, NoRecentDocsHistory, hide specified drives, prevent access to drives, prevent software running, Remove Security Tab, limit reservable bandwidth, Security policies

Handwriting recognition in Windows XP and Office XP/2003

Installing a handwriting pad (old version)

Installing and using handwriting recognition (a completely revised and expanded version):

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5

Make desktop icon text transparent

Network commands in Windows XP: an introduction

NTFS folder security permissions

Registry

(Note the URL changes in the following articles from 22 Mar 2005)

Locking and restricting the Registry (in two parts):

Part I, Part II Revised 22 Mar 2005

How to import a *.reg file into the registry (revised 22 Mar 2005)

Registry Editing using VBScript (updated 22 Mar 2005)

Registry Editing using Console Registry Tool reg.exe ***NEW***(22 Mar 2005)

Registry editing using JScript (in preparation)

Remote (network) Registry Editing ***NEW*** (4 Apr 2005)

Right click menu extension: where are the entries stored and how to remove them

Recovery Console

Don't miss this tutorial filled with many rare screenshots. Learn how to use the RC and familiarise with the commands before your system crashes.

Recovery Console Part 1

Recovery Console Part II

Recovery Console Part III

Repair installation of Windows XP

The System Preparation Tool (Sysprep) in Windows XP: an Overview (27 Feb 2005)

System Restore

Access the System Volume Information Folder (this also has instruction to change folder permission in NTFS in general) in three parts:

System Restore Part I

System Restore Part II

System Restore Part III

System Services (updated 6 Feb 2005)

Security in "My Computer" security zone (updated 3 Nov 2004)

Speed up booting

Myths and misconceptions about Windows XP (updated 27 Oct 2004)

TCP/IP settings for broadband internet connection

Unattended installation (25 Oct 2004, updated 21 Feb 2005)

Windows PE: an Introduction (5 Dec 2004, updated 4 Apr 2005)

Wireless Network Security in Windows XP
Part 1, Part 2 (5 Dec 2004, updated 27 Feb 2005)

I wish to thank all of you who have visited this site and apologies to those who can't temporarily read my webpages when bandwidth is exceeded at times. Come back soon!

Website change log (in descending order):

22 Mar 2005 - added Console Registry Tools; updated lockreg tutorials and moved all the registry articles to registry directory (but keeping re-direction pages in original locations)

25 Mar 2005 - added Offline NT Password and Registry Editor 050303

4 Apr 2005 - added Remote (Network) Registry Editing; updated IE Security, Windows PE

12 Apr 2005 - corrected links in lockreg.htm (thanks to a reader who reported them to me! :-)), updated index page for MS April Windows updates; moved Security Updates info to new page

15 July 2005: updated Windows update and Group Policy settings page

24 Aug 2005: updated Windows update page

20-24 Oct 2005: updated Windows update page; minor modifications to this page; updated Admin password first page

13 Nov 2005: updated Windows update page; IE Hijacking Part III and Clear the IE cache

15 Nov 2005: updated handwriting 1 - 5

2 Dec 2005: updated Administrator password 1.

14 Dec 2005: updated Windows update page

17 Dec 2005: updated Windows PE page
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10 Jan 2006: updated Windows update page

14 Feb 2006: updated Windows update page

19 Apr 2006: updated Windows update page

18 May 2006: updated Windows update page; added some rubrics under contact. Added Page View Summary (statistics from Geocities).

17 June 2006: updated Windows update page;

19 June 2006: added Admin password traditional Chinese page (one page only, abridged from the English)

10 July 2006: deleted Longhorn pages; updated autologon page;

29 Apr 2007: updated Unattended Windows page

12 Aug 2007: updated index page

1 Feb 2008: updated index page

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Copyright © 2003-2008 by Kilian. DISCLAIMER: All my articles including graphics are provided "as is" without warranties of any kind. I hereby disclaim all warranties with regard to the information provided. In no event shall I be liable for any damage of any kind whatsoever resulting from the information. The articles are provided in good faith and after some degree of verification but they may contain technical or typographical errors. Links to other web resources may be changed at any time and are beyond the control of the author. Articles may be added, removed, edited or improved at any time. No support is provided by the author. All the products mentioned are trademarks of their respective companies.

Contact for any comments you wish to make, including constructive suggestions. Please refrain from complaining about disabling "R click menu and copy": there are simple ways to get round this.

Thanks to all of you who have kindly written and offered words of appreciation!

Created in 2003; last updated 1 Feb 2008