second hand computer passwords

[paula womack]

I was given a dell inspiron 2500 with windows xp professional. Problem is cant swipe it and download new stuff because I don't have any stuff. I have got to make this work. I turn on laptop... windows loads then dark blue screen then black screen then welcome to windows screen....I press ctrl-alt-del....it goes to log on to windows screen.... it wants a password... I DON"T HAVE IT...can't get it either. I can't get to start menu or control panel or anything... I can however get to bios thing. PLEASE HELP ME.
Thank you so much for your help.
paula

[nsindian]

have you tried booting to safe mode and clicking Administrator. if you can log in there as admin then add another user acct and insert your own password for that acct. then restart normally and log in to that newly created acct.

[Phreak]

have you tried booting to safe mode and clicking Administrator. if you can log in there as admin then add another user acct and insert your own password for that acct. then restart normally and log in to that newly created acct.

No need to boot into safe mode to log in as admin? just hit ctrl+alt+del 3 times at the welcome screen to bring up classic login mode or if its using classic login already just change user name to Administrator or guest.

A better way to do this however would be to use a live cd such as BartPE or a linux distro such as knoppix and boot from a live cd to create a new account or reset the password for the current admin account.

Very easy and takes only a few mins at most. I have a custom bartPe style disc that i carry on my USB. Go for BartPe or Knoppix both very good as resolving this type of issue in minutes.

There are other ways but i find that very easy and user friendly either at work or at home.

Hope that helps,

Phreak

[caperjack]

rules of the forum are that we shouldn't help with this issue ,how do we know the laptop wasn't stolen !!

[Phreak]

We dont know, but if thats the case we cant really answer any questions on retreiving deleted data, backing data up, installing software, finding or changing product keys due to borked installations, how to format a pc ... where do we stop :-)

Seems bizarre not to help someone who forgot a password when we allow scripts that retreive data and windows product keys etc? Surly there is far more damage to be done with them...

If thats the case though, you should delete me post advising them to use knoppix or bartPE as they are pretty much designed for recovery type situations...

Seems very odd not to help this particular thread though, considering that a quick search pulls up hudreds of other threads (over 50 pages worth) advising people how to reset windows, rar, zip, mac os, bios, office and database passwords etc ... some even with replies and advice from team members? x

[Bob_180_Bob]

Hi Phreak,
When you joined this site, you were supposed to have read and then agreed to the rules of this forum. Why would you now question what you agreed to. The rules are there for a reason so abide by them. If you want a site where you can give the info you want, start one!!!

[caperjack]

We dont know, but if thats the case we cant really answer any questions on retreiving deleted data, backing data up, installing software, finding or changing product keys due to borked installations, how to format a pc ... where do we stop :-)

none of the above are asking for a password they don't have cant get either [as it says in this posters post !],

[Phreak]

Hi Phreak,
When you joined this site, you were supposed to have read and then agreed to the rules of this forum. Why would you now question what you agreed to. The rules are there for a reason so abide by them. If you want a site where you can give the info you want, start one!!!

Are you mental? about 3 years ago i helped someone with the EXACT same problem and there are other threads here which help people who have forgotten passwords/been given second hand pc\bought second hand pc\trying to fix there mothers pc who has forgotten her password etc. Not just this section!!!
I my self wrote a VBS scripts and helped others write similar scripts to resolve other similar issues.
So at what point does your post make the slightest bit of sense in what i was refering to!

My point is that currently we dont follow the rules that are set, neither do all the mod, also i was helping someone out with a request and have done so for many years so i would appreciate you keeping your unhelpful opinion to your self. I was replying with helpful useful advice to a member, then once advised that we should not help, raised a point with copperjack... however my main argument still stands, because if this was against the rules... WHY IS IT STILL HERE!

I suggested it be removed so remove it.. Why are we having this discussion and why are randoms dropping in there 2 cents worth?

Thank you and good night x

[caperjack]

then once advised that we should not help, raised a point with copperjack...

and i since changed mt opinion on this issue ,will be helping anyone who asks , untill someone kicks me off this site

[jbennet]

My view as a mod is this:

forgotten password - tell em the safe mode administrator account tip - if the admin account is locked i will not help them any more as 99% of the time this is as it has been locked down for a reason, in which case the user is most likely trying to do something they shouldnt be.

I wont tolerate people giving more than this, if they do theyll generally get a verbal warning and a snip.

e.g in this thread

I was given a dell inspiron 2500 with windows xp professional. Problem is cant swipe it and download new stuff because I don't have any stuff

a) its XP Pro or XP Corp in which case, said PC is probably joined to a domain, in which case, it will need to be reinstalled
b) if you dont have any "stuff", you most likely dont have a valid licence, the copy of XP was almost certainly a site licence or something. It is in that case illegal for you to use that OS