How to log on to Windows XP if you forget your password or if your password expires?

Introduction:
If you forget your Windows password or if your password expires, you
must reset your password before you can log on to your computer. This
article contains two methods that you can try to reset your password
so that you can log on to your computer again. These steps only work
if you have previously created a password reset disk for the computer,
or if you can log on as an administrator to assign a new password to
your account.
If you do not have a reset disk or cannot log on as an administrator,
unfortunately, you may have to reinstall Windows XP and all other
programs that were installed on the computer before you can use the
computer again. This is for security. Without these safeguards, anyone
could reset a password to anyone else's computer and gain access to
private information.
This article is intended for a beginning to intermediate computer user.
You may find it easier to follow the steps if you print this article first.
More Information:
Reset forgotten or expired password
If you forget your password or if your password expires, there are two
methods that you can use to log on to create a new password. One
method is to use a password reset disk, if you have created one. By
using the password reset disk, you can recover your user account and
your personalized computer settings. Another method is to log on using
the administrator account to delete the forgotten password and then to
create a new password.
If you have a password reset disk, go to method 1. If you do not have
a reset disk, go to method 2. The instructions guide you through each
step and help you verify that the problem is resolved.