Connecting to Oracle Without a Password on Windows

If you have forgotten, were never given or otherwise don't have the password to an Oracle database, never fear, there is a method to accessing the database. From the local machine you must be a user in the group "ora_dba". Run "sqlplus" (the command line version) with the option "/nolog", which tells SQL*Plus not to login. At the "SQL>" prompt, type "connect / as sysdba" which ought to log you in. At that point, you can change the password for any account (sys would be a good one to change, since apparently you don't know it) using the command alter user <username> identified by "<password>";. Make sure to commit; after doing that.