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My friend got a laptop from a friend and when he turned the computer on it
asked for a user name and password, well, he doesn't know it. How can he get
past this or how can he erase the hard drive without having this information.
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Lauramc wrote:
[Quoted Text] > My friend got a laptop from a friend and when he turned the computer on it
> asked for a user name and password, well, he doesn't know it. How can he
> get past this or how can he erase the hard drive without having this
> information.
It's unclear whether you mean a BIOS password (supplied immediately after
you turn the computer on and long before Windows boots) or a Windows
password. If the former, contact the laptop mftr. for instructions. If the
latter, ask the original owner for the password.
It is fairly easy to get around a Windows password, but with a used computer
your first step should always be to do a clean install anyway. Check at the
laptop mftr.'s website to see what the procedures are for that specific
model to return the laptop to factory condition.
Malke
--
MS-MVP
Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!
FAQ - http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ
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Lauramc wrote:
[Quoted Text] > My friend got a laptop from a friend and when he turned the computer on it
> asked for a user name and password, well, he doesn't know it. How can he get
> past this or how can he erase the hard drive without having this information.
When receiving old hardware and *if* it does truly include the operating
system (rather than just a polluted hard disk with the OS) then the best
advice is to flatten the host and rebuild anew. That means booting
using the install CD for Windows, selecting for format the partition for
the OS, and do a *fresh* install of that OS.
You and your friend don't know what might've been left on that old host
regarding tweaks, bugs, bad configuration, illegal software, illegal
porn, web history, etc. Just flatten and rebuild. Then your "friend"
has a new and fresh install of the OS without any screwups created by
its prior owner.
If your friend didn't get any installation media for Windows in the form
of an installation CD, a recovery CD, or a recovery image in a hidden
hard disk partition then he did not get the OS as part of the hardware
transfer. Get old hardware on which an OS is installed doesn't mean you
have a legal license to use it. The seller may have kept the Windows
license and what you got was just hardware that included a polluted hard
disk.
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Lauramc wrote:
[Quoted Text] > My friend got a laptop from a friend and when he turned the
> computer on it asked for a user name and password, well, he doesn't
> know it. How can he get past this or how can he erase the hard
> drive without having this information.
If you mean 'immediately he was asked for a password to boot the computer' -
then that poses a different problem than 'after the system booted to Windows
XP - it prompted him for a username and password to utilize the Windows XP
system...'
Which is it?
If the latter - your friend does not need one to "... erase the hard drive
....' <- just the original installation media.
--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
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Although this is nice advise it really has nothing to do with the OP's
question, nor does it help with the problem he's asking about.
--
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Crosspost, do not multipost http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm
How to ask a question http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375
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"VanguardLH" <V[ at ]nguard.LH> wrote in message
news:gjbro9$4op$1[ at ]news.motzarella.org...
[Quoted Text] > Lauramc wrote:
>
>> My friend got a laptop from a friend and when he turned the computer on
>> it
>> asked for a user name and password, well, he doesn't know it. How can he
>> get
>> past this or how can he erase the hard drive without having this
>> information.
>
> When receiving old hardware and *if* it does truly include the operating
> system (rather than just a polluted hard disk with the OS) then the best
> advice is to flatten the host and rebuild anew. That means booting
> using the install CD for Windows, selecting for format the partition for
> the OS, and do a *fresh* install of that OS.
>
> You and your friend don't know what might've been left on that old host
> regarding tweaks, bugs, bad configuration, illegal software, illegal
> porn, web history, etc. Just flatten and rebuild. Then your "friend"
> has a new and fresh install of the OS without any screwups created by
> its prior owner.
>
> If your friend didn't get any installation media for Windows in the form
> of an installation CD, a recovery CD, or a recovery image in a hidden
> hard disk partition then he did not get the OS as part of the hardware
> transfer. Get old hardware on which an OS is installed doesn't mean you
> have a legal license to use it. The seller may have kept the Windows
> license and what you got was just hardware that included a polluted hard
> disk.
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If your referring to a BIOS level password, unless the previous owner can
help, it is likely the laptop will have to be disassembled to clear it, if
it's an IBM forget about it, you can't clear it using normal methods.
--
----
Crosspost, do not multipost http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm
How to ask a question http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375
Help Us Help You http://dts-l.net/goodpost.htm
"Lauramc" <Lauramc[ at ]discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:EEEC3CFF-7FFC-4E5E-A55C-9CADF80D1AD6[ at ]microsoft.com...
[Quoted Text] > My friend got a laptop from a friend and when he turned the computer on it
> asked for a user name and password, well, he doesn't know it. How can he
> get
> past this or how can he erase the hard drive without having this
> information.
>
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