SHIFT+F10 while repairing Windows XP

When you repair Windows XP if you press SHIFT+F10 while Installing Devices is displayed on the screen it will take you to the Control Panel, where you can easily reconfigure the system. Is it a loophole or Windows developers intentionally did this for some purpose.
I have tried this using Virtual PC and it works with SP1 and SP2.
How do people find these sort of things? I mean how will anyone know which key to press to break into the system? I am not a hacker, just a normal user. I read it somewhere and tried. It works.

M LOHIT

Posted 2010-08-26T09:56:25.133

Reputation: 237

Answers

This is by design for troubleshooting and other purposes. For some it is a way to play solitaire during the install process after the exe is copied.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/242380

(Edit) Also look at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/295116 for info on XP

David Remy

Posted 2010-08-26T09:56:25.133

Reputation: 1 899

AKA the $100 XP Trick

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=498320&p=6

– Moab – 2010-08-26T15:34:56.523

Windows Microsoft XP is not listed in the Applies to list. – Default – 2010-08-26T15:48:35.553

While XP might not be listed this is the article that explains the purpose to Shift+F10. Here is a link that applies to XP and mentions to functionality http://support.microsoft.com/kb/295116

– David Remy – 2010-08-26T16:43:48.463

Shift+F10 can also be used to reset account passwords if they are forgotten, see the second technique.

http://www.clazh.com/recover-lost-forgotten-windows-xp-administrator-password/

Moab

Posted 2010-08-26T09:56:25.133

Reputation: 54 203