Why does windows ask for the (existing) password twice?

windows passwords credentials

06
2014-04

ninjaPixel

When I specify an account for an application pool to run under, in IIS, I am asked to supply the password twice:

enter image description here

I don't understand the purpose of 'confirming' the password for an existing account. Sure, if you're setting up a new account it is a good idea to ask for the password twice, but this seems superfluous for an existing account.

Is there a way to disable this, and get it to only ask once?
Is there a useful purpose, in asking for the password twice?

I also remember the wireless connection dialog, in I think XP, asking for the password twice, which always confused me!

Answers

DrakaSAN

It is for the case where you mistype your password. Example, if I want to use the password 'password', and there is no confirm password, and my finger slip in the middle of the typing, I could end up with:

pssword
pzssword
paqssword
...

By making you type the password twice, you can be sure you typed it right the two time, so it is really the password you want, and not a slighly different one.

(BTW: There is no way to disable this)

Related Answers

Sathya

You can use Offline NT password and registry editor to reset it. You also can use Ophcrack.

Jet

This method is called Sticky Keys Method

Boot from Windows PE or Windows Recovery Environment (or use any LiveCD/USB/ ANY Windows installation disk / Anything bootable that can see NTFS/Fat32/...), and run the Command Prompt.
Find the drive letter of the partition where Windows is installed. It is usually C: (Vista and XP). It could be D: under Windows 7 because the first partition contains Startup Repair and will be assigned with C:. To find the drive letter, type C: or D: and search for the Windows folder. Note that Windows PE (RE) usually resides on drive letter X
Create a backup copy of sethc.exe with this command (for later restoration):
```
copy c:\windows\system32\sethc.exe c:\
```
(replace c: with your correct drive letter if needed)

Replace sethc.exe with cmd.exe:

copy /y c:\windows\system32\cmd.exe c:\windows\system32\sethc.exe

Reboot your computer and start the Windows installation where you forgot the administrator password
After you see the Login screen, press Shift five times. It will open a command prompt
Enter the following command to reset the Windows password:
```
net user YOURUSERNAME NEWPASSWORD
```
(If you don’t know your user name, just type net user to list all available user names)

You can now log on with the new password. Now you have privileges of user SYSTEM and you can do whatever you want with your current system (be careful)!

THE ADVANTAGES:
1) It works in ALL WINDOWSES you can find nowadays (from Windows XP to 8.1 , x86/x64)!
(And probably it will work on earlier and newer versions too!)

2) No need to prepare anything! You can do this with ANY bootable media media which is in your hands at that moment! Started from MS-DOS* bootable disks and Windows installation disks to LiveCD/USB/and others.

3) Many other programs that change pwd from registry are usable, but if smtg goes wrong, they can damage the system. This method simply can't damage anything!

4) Finally, it's free!

*Note: If it's MS-DOS bootable media, make sure it has NTFS driver (NTFS4DOS / Paragon NTFS or smtg like it).

Source

mundeep

There are a whole bunch of options and tools listed in "Forgot the Administrator Password?" they vary from recovery/cracking tools to those that simply let you reset the password (such as Emergency Boot CD).

Krazy_Kaos

Let me give my 2 cents on this question. I personally would use using KON-BOOT , it bypasses all windows password checking, so you can boot to windows and change the password. Its like a live cd that boot prior to windows and tricks it when asked for the password.

Great tool for hacking your own box (you can only change the pass, you can't see the old one)

From the site:

Kon-Boot is an prototype piece of software which allows to change contents of a linux kernel (and now Windows kernel also!!!) on the fly (while booting).

In the current compilation state it allows to log into a linux system as 'root' user without typing the correct password or to elevate privileges from current user to root. For Windows systems it allows to enter any password protected profile without any knowledge of the password.

It was acctually started as silly project of mine, which was born from my never-ending memory problems :) Secondly it was mainly created for Ubuntu, later i have made few add-ons to cover some other linux distributions.

Finally, please consider this is my first linux project so far :)

Entire Kon-Boot was written in pure x86 assembly, using old grandpa-geezer TASM 4.0.

Connor W

This is very easy to do, but rather than explain it all here, ive found two articles that show you exactly how to do it.

This is the easiest method, but for this you need to have the Windows Setup DVD that came with you computer, if not go to the second link.
http://www.online-tech-tips.com/windows-7/forgot-lost-administrator-password-windows-7/

If you dont have the setup DVDs, then follow this link to fix it. This method requires a bit more work though, but is just as effective.
http://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/forgot-your-windows-password-how-to-recover-your-lost-password-try-login-recovery/

wikiti

Assuming you can log on, I have read that running explorer using the at scheduler in the command prompt gives you admin rights, I haven't tried it though :)

BenA

Right click on My Computer, select Manage. Select Users under Local Users and Groups in the tree pane, right click on the Administrator and click Set Password...

This obviously assumes that you can log in to Windows though!