Password change

How do I force a password change on an existing account?

In Windows 95.

To remove all cached passwords for a user, you can delete the file "USERNAME.pwl", where USERNAME is that person's username on your computer. If you do not wish to affect all cached passwords, you can use an application called Password List Editor that is provided on the Windows 95 CD.

The following information is taken from the Windows 95 Resource Kit Help file provided by Microsoft:

Using Password List Editor

If password caching is enabled, Windows 95 caches passwords in the password list file when you connect to a password-protected network resource. Password List Editor (PWLEDIT) allows you to view the resources listed in a user's password list file (*.PWL). It does not allow you to view the actual passwords, but it allows you to remove specific password entries if problems are encountered using a cached password.

Password List Editor works only if the password list file is unlocked, that is, if the user is logged on. It can be used to view only the contents of the logged-on user's password list file, so you should run it on the user's computer.

Password List Editor can be found in the ADMIN\APPTOOLS\PWLEDIT directory on the Windows 95 compact disc.

To install Password List Editor

  1. In the Add/Remove Programs option in Control Panel, click the Windows Setup tab, then click the Have Disk button.
  2. In the Install From Disk dialog box, click Browse. Enter the path name to ADMIN\APPTOOLS\PWLEDIT\PWLEDIT.INF, and then click OK.
  3. In the Have Disk dialog box, click Password List Editor, then click Install.

To run Password List Editor

From the Start menu, click Run. Then enter:

  pwledit
Access Manager - More info

     If the above options do not provide enough security for you, download Access manager for Windows.

Access manager provides much more security than standard ways in Windows.

More info

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