Tame Windows Passwords
End Windows XP password woes, see what IE's been caching, and lose yourself in yet another mysterious game.Steve Bass
Steve Bass writes PC World's monthly "Hassle-Free PC" column and is the author of PC Annoyances, 2nd Edition: How to Fix the Most Annoying Things About Your Personal Computer, available from O'Reilly. He also writes PC World's daily Tips & Tweaks blog. Sign up to have Steve's newsletter e-mailed to you each week. Comments or questions? Send Steve e-mail.
Everyone knows that Microsoft apps can be annoying. Heck, I even wrote a book about it. If you've been bugged by Windows passwords--Windows keeps making you change your XP password, or perhaps you've forgotten it--relax, I've got help for you this week. Keep reading for tips, plus learn all about my latest obsession.
Bypass XP's Pesky Password
Oh, when I'm not clear about a tip, I hear from you. Each and every one of you.
In my October "Hassle-Free PC" column for the magazine, I wrote about bypassing Windows XP's annoying need to have me change my log-in password every now and then. The tip has to do with the fact that XP forces you to change your password after a certain period of time has expired.
Here's what I said: "Here's how to defeat it. Open Control Panel, select Performance and Maintenance in Category view, and choose Administrative Tools, Local Security Policy. In the left pane, double-click Account Policies and click Password Policy; in the right pane, double-click Maximum Password Age. Change the number to zero, click OK, and then close the Local Security Settings window."
Unfortunately, the advice I gave had some XP Home users scratching their heads--and writing me e-mail.
Here's the scoop: By default, Windows XP Home sets the number of days before changing the password setting to "unlimited"--so essentially, you never need to change it. If you're using XP Home (and this applies to the vast majority of home users) you won't see this behavior--unless, of course, you or some oddball software changes the password default.
In XP Pro, the default for when Windows asks for a new password is 42 days. But since many users don't use a password to log in, they have no idea this setting even exists. (Me? I just hit Enter at the password screen)
XP Home users who face the password-changing issue can use these instructions (XP Pro users can follow my instructions above or these):
Dig This: I don't believe this really happened--but it's an awfully funny video. It's about a blonde and her car's OnStar. [2MB WMV]
While I'm Messing With Your Password
I have a couple of other XP password tips you might want to tuck away.
First, you'll want to read Microsoft's article explaining what to do if you forget your password, or if it expires.
Second, read Scott Dunn's "Safety First" tips if you're itching to learn more about XP passwords, admin rights, profiles, and other things about XP.
Dig This: Take a minute and download Sound Pilot. It's a harmless program that makes every keystroke sound like an old-fashioned typewriter--you know, like the one you have in the garage. Play around with the trial version until the novelty wears off (or, in my case, my spouse's patience wears thin). If you like it, it'll cost you a way-too-expensive $16 to keep. [Thanks, Pepper.]
Spy on Internet Explorer's Cache
I bumped into Index Dat Spy, a nifty, free tool that lets you see exactly what's stored in IE's index.dat file. Install it, click on File, and select "Find Index.dat files." Scroll through the list that appears, find the index.dat in your Internet Cache folder, highlight it, and double-click.
FYI, my PC had more than 44 files. Besides the main index.dat in the Internet Cache folder, few had anything interesting to view.
Once you've satisfied your curiosity, and you want the index.dat file removed, go to the File menu and click "Delete on Windows Startup."
Dig This: Last year I told you about the Crimson Room, a Flash game I found baffling; I even gave you some tips and spoilers.
So now I've got a new challenge for you, Hapland 2. [Thanks, Don P.] It's killing me. I'm not going to give you any hints, because I ain't got any--except to say you can get help (ha!) by clicking the question mark near the bottom left of the screen. The double-arrow icon is for refreshing and starting over, something you'll do often. One other thing: Click everything.
BTW, it may be a better idea to start with Hapland 1; it's a little easier as there are only 25 items to click as opposed to Hapland 2's 48.
I'll pass along some cheats in a few weeks, long enough so you have time to appreciate the frustration I'm facing.