Learn How To:

1. Change Your "Login" Password
2. Change Your "E-Mail" Password
3. Create an Easy Yet Secure Password

Change Your Login Password

For computers running Windows 95/98/ME

1. Identify an "easy yet secure" password of your choosing.
2. Login in to the computer using your old password.
3. Open the following file to avoid the problem identified in item 11 (FixPassword.reg). Be sure to click on the OPEN button to execute this fix. (Note: This behavior is generally unsafe and you shouldn't do it unless instructed to).
4. Click on the Start Button.
5. Click on Settings.
6. Click on Control Panel.
7. Click on the "key shaped" icon labeled "Passwords." (Note: If you don't see this, then see instructions for WindowsXP below)
8. On the "Change Passwords" tab click on "Change Windows Password."
9. Place a check in the box next to "Microsoft Networking" and click OK.
10. Enter your OLD password once and your NEW password twice as prompted and click OK.
11. (Note: In Windows 95/98 you may encounter an error that your "Old password is not recognized," however it will accept the new password you give it.)

For computer running Windows 2000/XP

1. Identify an "easy yet secure" password of your choosing.
2. Login in to the computer using your old password.
3. Depress the "CTRL" & "ALT" keys and then the "DEL" key. Only after all 3 are depressed should you release them.
4. The Windows Security window should appear.
5. Click on the "Change Password" button.
6. Enter your OLD password once and your NEW password twice as prompted and click OK.
7. Click on the OK button when you are done.

Change Your E-Mail Password

1. Open a web browser to http://mail.salem.k12.va.us.
2. Login to the webmail system.
3. In the upper right hand corner, click on "Options and Styles."
4. Scroll down the list until you can click on "Password."
5. Enter your OLD password once and your NEW password twice as prompted and click on the SAVE button.

Create an "Easy Yet Secure" password

With a little thought you can think of a password which is easy for you to remember yet hard for a hacker to steal. Follow these simple steps for an easy yet securer password.

• Pick a password 8 characters in length
• Use 4 numbers and 4 characters (note characters can include symbols such as # or $)
• Your numbers can be a year, a partial address, a partial phone number, a partial zip code.
• Your characters can be the first letters of the words of a phrase, a partial or misspelled word. Avoid anything that can be found in a dictionary (even a foreign dictionary).