Windows XP Admin Password

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13 May 2006
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Hi Folks
I'm trying to repair a windows installation on my own machine (gets so far and crashes) which I suspect may have been corrupted by the processor running too hot.
I'm in windows recovery console and it is asking me for a password. I'm not 100% sure but I don't think I set a password (and if I did I don't remember it).
Is there any way of resetting or bypassing the password bearing in mind that I can't run windows at present? I tried just hitting enter - no luck.

Any advice or assistance greatfully appreciated.

Thanks and best regards
 
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Can you get into Safe Mode?

Providing you have an administrators account you could then change the password of the account called 'Administrator'.

Justin
 
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That is the Admin password it's asking for, if you dotn know it then follow these steps to reset it...

1.Place your Windows XP CD in your cd-rom and start your computer (it’s assumed here that your XP CD is bootable – as it should be - and that you have your bios set to boot from CD)
2. Keep your eye on the screen messages for booting to your cd Typically, it will be “Press any key to boot from cd”

3. Once you get in, the first screen will indicate that Setup is inspecting your system and loading files.

4. When you get to the Welcome to Setup screen, press ENTER to Setup Windows now

5. The Licensing Agreement comes next - Press F8 to accept it.

6. The next screen is the Setup screen which gives you the option to do a Repair.

It should read something like “If one of the following Windows XP installations is damaged, Setup can try to repair it”

Use the up and down arrow keys to select your XP installation (if you only have one, it should already be selected) and press R to begin the Repair process.

7. Let the Repair run. Setup will now check your disks and then start copying files which can take several minutes.

8. Shortly after the Copying Files stage, you will be required to reboot. (this will happen automatically – you will see a progress bar stating “Your computer will reboot in 15 seconds”

9. During the reboot, do not make the mistake of “pressing any key” to boot from the CD again! Setup will resume automatically with the standard billboard screens and you will notice Installing Windows is highlighted.

10. Keep your eye on the lower left hand side of the screen and when you see the Installing Devices progress bar, press SHIFT + F10. This is the security hole! A command console will now open up giving you the potential for wide access to your system.

11. At the prompt, type NUSRMGR.CPL and press Enter. Voila! You have just gained graphical access to your User Accounts in the Control Panel.

12. Now simply pick the account you need to change and remove or change your password as you prefer. If you want to log on without having to enter your new password, you can type control userpasswords2 at the prompt and choose to log on without being asked for password. After you’ve made your changes close the windows, exit the command box and continue on with the Repair (have your Product key handy).

13. Once the Repair is done, you will be able to log on with your new password (or without a password if you chose not to use one or if you chose not to be asked for a password). Your programs and personalized settings should remain intact.
 
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13 May 2006
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Thanks for good input Pyrosoft - I managed to get past the password for now - Windows still won't boot though - it gets as far as loading the drivers and reboots the machine. I've gone in through system repair (from the cd rom) and replace the system,sam,default,software and security files from a previous restore point (I had to do it manually) - no joy.

The version of windowsXP pro I have doesn't give me an option to repair other than from the dos repair console - if I let it go as far as accepting the license agreement then it won't offer me a repair option. (It's a pre SP1 version - is that relevant? - If so Im currently preparing an autostream version)

Is there any way of forcing windows to re-install over the old one.

One other thing which may be relevant - I installed Norton Go-Back the day that it happened - any significance - my processor was definetly runniing too hot (70c)

Thanks for kind info
 
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I appreciate your concerns Spirit - but no it's not nicked - it's mine. I can actually read all the data from another drive using a utility and have restored it to another drive. The only bummer is I can't get the os to unfrazzle so it looks like I'm going to have to re-install windows and all the applications - Unless any of you kind guys out there have another solution?

When I run windowsXP from my install disk it will offer to repair the OS on my temporary drive but although it can recognise the existence of the previous OS it doesn't give me a repair option.

Many thanks and all the best
 
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if you look into getting windows ultimate boot cd (http://www.ubcd4win.com/) there is very nifty tool on there to try and reset your password.
That involves building the cd which is something I have never done, i normally just download it of using some sort of p2p network (I am assuming this is perfectly legal hence I am posting it - some one has just gone to the effort of building a standardish copy)

That boots into a windows like environment and once there you can locate the password reset tool - the author is sala or something like that. That has an option to reset the admin password in the SAM file for you. There is an element of risk involved in this as I have known SAM files to get all garbled when doing it from a linux boot disk but it may be your only option. If the SAM file does get messed up you may not be able to change the admin password again and it will be set to some random password and I think it is possible to make the pc not even boot.

You should be able to make a back up of the SAM file so that is obviously advised!

|Ric|

p.s. sorry if anything posted above is frowned upon but I don't consider it to be any worse than previous posts
 
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Hi Guys - thanks for help - I'm greatful. I managed to bypass the password thing but it still didn't help. In the end I installed XP onto another drive and used a utility to copy my data accross. Just got a coupla days installing, tweaking and wondering where the hell I put those utilities I always use. Oh well - that's why they call me Lucky Doog.

Thanks to all those who wrote

Best regards
 
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