My PC is locked out b4 windows loads~password issue

Hello,
My system is asking for a password when it initially starts up. This isn't a new thing for me, due to going into set up (f12 @ startup) and setting the password a couple of years ago. However when I went to undo that by going from setup f12>secutity> reset password, the instructions directed me to enter my current password then leaving the "enter new password" and "Confirm new password" entries blank. From what I understood, this would cause the system to no longer prompt me to enter my password...Well it still does, the only thing is that it doesn't recognize my password anymore. Now I'm locked out. After the first three times of trying, it now says, everytime I try to enter something, that the system is in locked out! must power down...(that isn't verbatim, but close)
Your suggestions of how to get out of this would help me out greatly! Thanks in advance!~