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hi, My nefews got am old computer from a company sell out. and ineed to find out how to overide thier password.
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aunt sissy wrote:
[Quoted Text] > hi, > My nefews got am old computer from a company sell out. and ineed to find out > how to overide thier password.
With second-hand computers, especially if acquired from strangers but perhaps even if acquired from a family member or friend, your wisest course of action would definitely be to format the hard drives and start fresh. You don't want to get in trouble because the original owner may have filled the hard drive with kiddie porn, or have problems because the original owner downloaded/installed viruses or other malware.
Otherwise, Linux-based password cracking utilities abound on the Internet, freely available to anyone who can use Google.
--
Bruce Chambers
Help us help you: http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375
They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin
Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell
The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has killed a great many philosophers. ~ Denis Diderot
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aunt sissy wrote:
[Quoted Text] > hi, > My nefews got am old computer from a company sell out. and ineed to find out > how to overide thier password.
Flatten the host. Insert the Windows install CD, boot using it, and have it reformat the partition to lay down a FRESH install of Windows. If you didn't get the installation media (install CD, recovery CD, or hidden partition with the recovery image), you didn't get the software and instead simply got a computer with a polluted hard drive.
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On Dec 26, 11:13 am, aunt sissy <aunt si...[ at ]discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
[Quoted Text] > hi, > My nefews got am old computer from a company sell out. and ineed to find out > how to overide thier password.
http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/
it is an NT password reset utility. you don't want to know the password that the other person has. I know of a password recovery utility for NT systems, but I hesitate to give that out.
also, if it is a corporate toss-out pc, you might not be able to get support for it from the OEM (such as Dell). You can try. You may be able to download the drivers from the OEM's web site, but you may still have to know about your specific hardware. first, get it booting with XP. a sysinfo utility on it such as AMI Diags Suite, Sandra, Everest, (those are expensive) or the free PC Wizard from CPUID. http://cpuid.com/pcwizard.php
You really are better off installing a new XP if you can. you can buy a new RETAIL copy of XP Pro from newegg.com - you are not allowed to buy the OEM version. It is much cheaper if you can get a System Restore cd(s) for your PC from the vendor (costs about $20). you can probably get the drivers while you are at it too. it is worth a try. The System Restore CD is Windows XP. It is for this reason I wish to give people All the cd's that come with the system when they get a used PC from me. I don't like leaving them up a creek without a paddle.
There may also be a System Restore partition which you boot into by doing a special boot sequence (hitting F8 or F10 repeatedly on bootup) you may have to go into CMOS Setup to find out how to boot into this mode. also, it may flash by on the screen telling you how to get into this mode. watch carefully.
Jim Michaels
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