Windows wants password...never assigned

My laptop now wants a password at startup.  None has ever been assigned. It started after installing a new wireless adapter.  The first day I just hit "ok" and that worked.   Now it wants a password.  Yet none has ever been assigned.  

I tried Admin, admin, administrator, etc.  
I know there is a way to restart with 'last good login' or something like that but cant' remember how.

Any suggestions.  I'd hate to throw it away.  It's old but I like it.

Win xp pro sp3

The log in window looks like the old windows 2000 screen. Even when trying to run the task manager (the day I could get windows started) looked like the old stuff.  Best I can remember it looked like 2000.  Not XP for sure.

Thanks...AS ALWAYS!
Crislee

Restart the machine and immediately start tapping the F8 key.  Keep tapping it until the Windows Startup Menu appears.

Choose to boot into Safe Mode. 

Once in safe mode, at the login screen, type or choose Administrator.  If you never set an admin password, leave the password blank and log on.

Once you are logged on as administrator, go to Control Panel, User Accounts, Change an account.

Choose your normal user account, and remove password.  Shut down and restart in normal mode.  You should be able to log on with no password.

Was that Linksys?

Patty MacDuffie
Computer Haven Admin 

Live Long and Prosper
Mr. Spock

No it is a Dlink. And I'm regretting it.  We've had to restart and reboot the computer and the router several times now to just stay connected....you should see the forever long instructions from Dlink.  What a waste.
I was wanting a better signal so going from g to n
It's just one room away....shouldn't look a connection that quick or often!
It's no  better than the g several rooms away...not like my house is big!
Again....thanks.  You are always so wonderful to help me with everything.

Nope...that didn't work either.  Doesn't give the "administrator' option and even when I type it in I get the same message "The system could not log you on.  make sure your user name and domain are correct, then type your password again.  Letters in the password must be typed using the correct case."

I then tried to restart in the "last known good configuration" and again got the same thing.

I've been online with 2 different people now waiting on number 3 with Dell for 28 minutes.  Figured I just need to get the reboot disk and start fresh.  I don't think I have too much on there I haven't saved externally anyway. But don't have all the disks for some programs.  Guess that too wont matter much. This is my daughters laptop now.  But she's very upset she can't waste her life away on Facebook right now...lol

Any other ideas before I wipe this thing clean with the recovery disk.
Crislee