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Create a strong random password on Windows XP

Posted 05/05/2009 - 07:09 by David Schnardthorst

Problem: 

Computer users consistently use very simplistic logic when creating passwords. For example, many of us choose meaningful words, personal dates, or a word commonly found in the dictionary because it makes the password easy to remember.

Solution: 

NOTES: 

  • Pay careful attention and be ready to ly use a password that might not be as memorable as you are accustomed to.
  • You cannot use this tip on a Windows Server domain.)

Let Windows XP generate your password, by following these steps.

  1. Open a Command Prompt window and type:
    net user username /random (username is your login account name)
  2. Press [Enter]. Windows XP will randomly generate a secure password, as well as assign that strong password to your account. Windows XP will also display the strong password so you can remember it.

At your discretion, you may want to create a Password Reset Disk at this point. This disk will allow you to gain access to your computer in the event you forget your password. Here’s how to create the disk:

  1. Open the Control Panel and double-click the User Accounts tool.
  2. Click your account icon.
  3. Select Prevent A Forgotten Password under Related Tasks.
  4. Follow the instructions provided by the wizard.
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