ExtremeTech has posted a news story on the Windows XP password protection

Windows guru Brian Livingston reports that inserting a Windows 2000 CD into an XP system allows one to bypass all password protection and manipulate any part of the machine at will. "Anyone with a Windows 2000 CD can boot up a Windows XP box and start the Windows 2000 Recovery Console," says Livingston. The intruder has Administrator privileges even if he or she does not provide a password, and can also assume the identity of any other user of the machine.

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