Vista - LOCK BUTTON!

(Windows Vista)

please help, by accident i clicked the 'lock button'... the icon next to the
button which enables you to shut down- (once you have clicked the menu)...
its got a picture of a padlock.

I now can't log into the computer at all- its saying my password is
incorrect- which is impossible as i haven't changed it, I don't even know how
to. I tried entering different passwords, I can't reset the password... i
tried the 'safe mode' thing and nothing is working. Someone please help,
finals are two weeks away and my dissertation and course notes are all on my
computer.

ERS

Not sure what might have happened? That lock button simply takes you to the
log in screen where you enter your user account password to get back to the
desktop? Is it showing the account that you were logged on with?

Do you have any other accounts set up on the system? If so, you can use the
Switch User button on the log in screen to access one of those accounts.

Another tip is to make sure that the caps lock is not on when you enter the
password.

--

Ronnie Vernon
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User


"ERS" <ERS@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:CBBDA218-337D-4F31-8C9F-15B47466C355@microsoft.com...
> (Windows Vista)
>
> please help, by accident i clicked the 'lock button'... the icon next to
> the
> button which enables you to shut down- (once you have clicked the menu)...
> its got a picture of a padlock.
>
> I now can't log into the computer at all- its saying my password is
> incorrect- which is impossible as i haven't changed it, I don't even know
> how
> to. I tried entering different passwords, I can't reset the password... i
> tried the 'safe mode' thing and nothing is working. Someone please help,
> finals are two weeks away and my dissertation and course notes are all on
> my
> computer.

Thanks for ur response-

I dont have another user account. It did take me back to the log in page
thing but my password doesn't seem to work- It's not on caps lock and its for
sure the right password as i only have one and don't know how to change it.
Is it because i pressed the lock button? what is it? Is my hard drive locked
now?? I don't know what to do!
"Ronnie Vernon MVP" wrote:

> ERS
>
> Not sure what might have happened? That lock button simply takes you to the
> log in screen where you enter your user account password to get back to the
> desktop? Is it showing the account that you were logged on with?
>
> Do you have any other accounts set up on the system? If so, you can use the
> Switch User button on the log in screen to access one of those accounts.
>
> Another tip is to make sure that the caps lock is not on when you enter the
> password.
>
> --
>
> Ronnie Vernon
> Microsoft MVP
> Windows Shell/User
>
>
> "ERS" <ERS@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:CBBDA218-337D-4F31-8C9F-15B47466C355@microsoft.com...
> > (Windows Vista)
> >
> > please help, by accident i clicked the 'lock button'... the icon next to
> > the
> > button which enables you to shut down- (once you have clicked the menu)...
> > its got a picture of a padlock.
> >
> > I now can't log into the computer at all- its saying my password is
> > incorrect- which is impossible as i haven't changed it, I don't even know
> > how
> > to. I tried entering different passwords, I can't reset the password... i
> > tried the 'safe mode' thing and nothing is working. Someone please help,
> > finals are two weeks away and my dissertation and course notes are all on
> > my
> > computer.
>

If anyone can answer this question, I'd be really grateful. I've been
scanning this forum, we aren't the only ones with this problem.

"ERS" wrote:

>
> Thanks for ur response-
>
> I dont have another user account. It did take me back to the log in page
> thing but my password doesn't seem to work- It's not on caps lock and its for
> sure the right password as i only have one and don't know how to change it.
> Is it because i pressed the lock button? what is it? Is my hard drive locked
> now?? I don't know what to do!
> "Ronnie Vernon MVP" wrote:
>
> > ERS
> >
> > Not sure what might have happened? That lock button simply takes you to the
> > log in screen where you enter your user account password to get back to the
> > desktop? Is it showing the account that you were logged on with?
> >
> > Do you have any other accounts set up on the system? If so, you can use the
> > Switch User button on the log in screen to access one of those accounts.
> >
> > Another tip is to make sure that the caps lock is not on when you enter the
> > password.
> >
> > --
> >
> > Ronnie Vernon
> > Microsoft MVP
> > Windows Shell/User
> >
> >
> > "ERS" <ERS@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > news:CBBDA218-337D-4F31-8C9F-15B47466C355@microsoft.com...
> > > (Windows Vista)
> > >
> > > please help, by accident i clicked the 'lock button'... the icon next to
> > > the
> > > button which enables you to shut down- (once you have clicked the menu)...
> > > its got a picture of a padlock.
> > >
> > > I now can't log into the computer at all- its saying my password is
> > > incorrect- which is impossible as i haven't changed it, I don't even know
> > > how
> > > to. I tried entering different passwords, I can't reset the password... i
> > > tried the 'safe mode' thing and nothing is working. Someone please help,
> > > finals are two weeks away and my dissertation and course notes are all on
> > > my
> > > computer.
> >

ERS

You need to access the repair options in Vista.

Go to this website to see the options and how to access them.

John Barnett's Windows Vista Support: Windows Vista Repair Options:
http://vistasupport.mvps.org/windows...ir_options.htm

In those instuctions, once you get to the repair options screen, click the
Command Prompt option.

Enter the following command:

net user administrator /active:yes

Press Enter.

(Make sure that the command is entered exactly as shown, including the
spaces, slash and colon.)

This is the command to to show the built-in administrator account at the
Welcome screen. Once this is done, reboot normally. When the welcome screen
appears, you should see a new account called Administrator. This account
does not have a password.

Log on with this account, go to Control Panel/User Accounts. Select the
Manage another account option. Select your account then click on Remove
Password.

After this is completed, reboot and log on with your account.

Let me know how this works.

--

Ronnie Vernon
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User


"ERS" <ERS@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:A63B2110-0C69-4EA6-86A8-C241FE3B585F@microsoft.com...
>
> Thanks for ur response-
>
> I dont have another user account. It did take me back to the log in page
> thing but my password doesn't seem to work- It's not on caps lock and its
> for
> sure the right password as i only have one and don't know how to change
> it.
> Is it because i pressed the lock button? what is it? Is my hard drive
> locked
> now?? I don't know what to do!
> "Ronnie Vernon MVP" wrote:
>
>> ERS
>>
>> Not sure what might have happened? That lock button simply takes you to
>> the
>> log in screen where you enter your user account password to get back to
>> the
>> desktop? Is it showing the account that you were logged on with?
>>
>> Do you have any other accounts set up on the system? If so, you can use
>> the
>> Switch User button on the log in screen to access one of those accounts.
>>
>> Another tip is to make sure that the caps lock is not on when you enter
>> the
>> password.
>>
>> --
>>
>> Ronnie Vernon
>> Microsoft MVP
>> Windows Shell/User
>>
>>
>> "ERS" <ERS@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:CBBDA218-337D-4F31-8C9F-15B47466C355@microsoft.com...
>> > (Windows Vista)
>> >
>> > please help, by accident i clicked the 'lock button'... the icon next
>> > to
>> > the
>> > button which enables you to shut down- (once you have clicked the
>> > menu)...
>> > its got a picture of a padlock.
>> >
>> > I now can't log into the computer at all- its saying my password is
>> > incorrect- which is impossible as i haven't changed it, I don't even
>> > know
>> > how
>> > to. I tried entering different passwords, I can't reset the password...
>> > i
>> > tried the 'safe mode' thing and nothing is working. Someone please
>> > help,
>> > finals are two weeks away and my dissertation and course notes are all
>> > on
>> > my
>> > computer.
>>