Expert: Brian Benosky - 10/12/2010

Question
My wife has Vista.  She used to have to use a password to sign on to her computer.  She eliminated that.


But now, whenever she wants to get to certain programs--for example, to defrag--she is asked for her password.  Nothing works.  We have tried her "old" password,as well as others she uses  for other programs.  

The only thing that works is to keep entering her previous password every time tbe sign in box keeps coming up.  After 5 or 6 times, it will open.

QUESTION:  how do we get rid of the password requirement for something that requires a password unless we want it?     Thanks


Answer
Hi Kean

Is she running Vista as an Administrator, or as a Standard User?  If she is not an Administrator, Vista may ask for permission to use certain system-changing programs.  You can check her user status by going into the Control Panel and clicking on User Accounts.  If she is not an Administrator, you can change the account type on that page as well.  But it will probably ask for the Administrator password, so try the old one.  If you are still having problems changing it, or if Administrator rights is not the issue, just let me know.

Brian