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June 06, 2003

Using the Windows XP PRD with EFS Encrypted Files


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What are the Windows XP Password Reset Disk (PRD) and Forgotten Password Wizard features? What do I need to do to use the PRD with Encrypting File System (EFS) encrypted files?

XP's PRD feature lets users reset their passwords on a local machine without having to call the local administrator. Indirectly, this feature also protects users from losing access to their encrypted files on a standalone computer if they forget their passwords. A PRD only works for the local accounts on one machine—it doesn't work for global domain accounts, and you can't use the same PRD on different machines. Because the PRD is key to resetting a user’s password, the user should always keep the disk secure to prevent someone else from accessing it.

To create a PRD, run the Control Panel User Accounts applet to access the User account properties. To start the PRD Forgotten Password Wizard, click Prevent a forgotten password, as Figure 1 shows. The wizard will then guide you through the rest of the PRD-generation process. . . .


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