The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    Vista will not let me log on using my password

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by chevychic55, Jul 6, 2010.

  1. chevychic55

    chevychic55 Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    2
    Messages:
    204
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    I have my mom's computer (she asked me to clean it up for her) and all of the sudden Vista will not let me log in using the password. I know it has been untouched since the last time I logged on. Has this ever happened to anyone? I think I'm going to have to try to do a fresh install of windows if I can't log in.
     
  2. SoundOf1HandClapping

    SoundOf1HandClapping Was once a Forge

    Reputations:
    2,360
    Messages:
    5,594
    Likes Received:
    16
    Trophy Points:
    206
    Never had any log-on issues with Vista.

    By the way, be careful with your questions. Admins tend to lock down conversations the moment they see something like "how do I bypass a password".

    But, in any case, you're probably going to need to do a clean install. Was your data backed up?
     
  3. Sirhcz0r

    Sirhcz0r Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    600
    Messages:
    1,079
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    Even if the data isn't backed up yet, you're still going to be able to recover it if it's not encrypted. Just make a bootable Knoppix flash drive or CD, boot it, copy the drive contents you need to an external drive (or the flash drive), and then reinstall Windows.

    Also you have a PM.
     
  4. -L1GHTGAM3R-

    -L1GHTGAM3R- Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    434
    Messages:
    1,034
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    have you tried doing a couple restarts......happened to me after using driver sweeper and i restarted the computer and it worked.....so give it a shot
     
  5. DetlevCM

    DetlevCM Notebook Nobel Laureate

    Reputations:
    4,843
    Messages:
    8,389
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    205
    What about trying SafeMode?
    (Will need a password to log on)
     
  6. Amnesiac

    Amnesiac 404

    Reputations:
    1,312
    Messages:
    3,433
    Likes Received:
    20
    Trophy Points:
    106
    Malware or a virus, maybe?

    I'd try Safe Mode. If that doesn't work, make a Ubuntu Live CD and back up the data on the drive, if you want to reformat.
     
  7. xTank Jones16x

    xTank Jones16x PC Elitist

    Reputations:
    848
    Messages:
    1,276
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    56
    Well I'll ask the obvious since no one else did.

    Did you check Caps Lock?

    Or Num Lock if you use it?

    You wouldn't believe how many times it's either one of those that cause problems like this, even though it says it with a warning on the login screen, lol. :rolleyes:
     
  8. chevychic55

    chevychic55 Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    2
    Messages:
    204
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    I made sure the caps were off. I called my mom and triple checked the password. I restarted it a few times, and once it updated 24 items. I member pm'd me a solution that I am in the process of trying. I will keep you all posted.
     
  9. Kamin_Majere

    Kamin_Majere =][= Ordo Hereticus

    Reputations:
    1,522
    Messages:
    2,680
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    OK i'm going to close this thread down now.

    You have a solution for data back up and you are already going to preform a clean install so largely the problem is solved. Anything further would be going against forum rules and I have already removed posts due to that.

    Kamin_Majere