Password failure

amstel2

Hello

My operating system is Windows Vista. A couple of times in the last few months (most recently last w/end). When I have come to log on my password is not recognized. I checked the cap/number locks everything was fine I am sure I was keying the password in correctly but could not gain access. Both times it happened I had no probs in my previous session & I always totally shut the computer down when I finish a session. Also this seems to happen when I have not used the laptop for several days.

I am not very technically minded but each time I have managed to restore the system& get the password working again by pressing the F8 key & pressing a few things but I thing I was just lucky.

Has anyone come across this, why it happens, how to prevent it & what to do if it happens again?

Thanks

Laz123

Type into search 'cmd', then at the DOS prompt type sfc /scannow (note space). It will run for about half an hour or so and should fix any system files that have become corrupt. See if this helps. If not we'll try something else.

arrallas

Always worth trying a second keyboard too. If one of the contacts is dirty or worn out, a key can work intermittently. I've even had this happen on two brand new cheap Logitech keyboards.

GunJack

why not go to control panel > user accounts and remove the password altogether, they're not compulsary

amstel2

GunJack wrote: »

why not go to control panel > user accounts and remove the password altogether, they're not compulsary

I have thought of removing the password but what if someone got hold of my laptop they could steal my data.

debitcardmayhem

set a new password afterwards perhaps, but if "someone" got hold of your laptop they could boot it into a live windows/linux usb/cd and read all of the data on your hard drive