no xp pro disc and lost admin passwordSolved/Closed

Question

Hello,
I was given a desktop computer with windows xp pro sp2. I forgot the password that he told me and I tried to do some of the things that was in the forum, but I don't have the disk to do it in repair. I have a 8gb usb drive and my only computer access is at the library and I downloaded NT/Password disk but can't put on floppy because the library has a block on it. I have a dell laptop but does not have a floppy drive. I do have a copy of windows 2000 professional but can't use that. can somebody help me please help me?

Hex · Accepted Answer

There is a hidden administrator account. 

You can log on it and you can change or remove all the other passes of your comp without knowing the previous passes. Just type ctrl alt del twice and then type Administrator on the account name and you can enter. If that won't work, restart the computer and toggle the F5 button.You will get screen that will ask you if you want to boot with command prompt, choose it and then type net user, then press enter 
# Then again type "Net user [Username of the Account]*" then press Enter, without the ["], and quotes. Make sure you spell the username correctly, and you have the '*' 
# To change password press enter and after that tieler south * Reset password to what ever you want.  
If that won't work, go to this link ..more suggested info on the replies

Darkstorm30 · Answer

I was given a desktop computer with windows xp pro sp2. I forgot the password that he told me and I tried to do some of the things that was in the forum, but I don't have the disk to do it in repair. I have a 8gb usb drive and my only computer access is at the library and I downloaded NT/Password disk but can't put on floppy because the library has a block on it. I have a dell laptop but does not have a floppy drive. I do have a copy of windows 2000 professional but can't use that. can somebody help me please help me?

I tried the command prompt but it still ask for a login/password, so what to do now?

Remacno · Answer

What I would suggest is that you find a place that you can download and burn a copy of "Hiren's Boot CD" and follow the instructions given below:

1. Download
2. Burn to CD
3. insert into your CD drive
4. reboot
5. Set bios to boot from CD[press F1; F2 ; F11; DEL]
look here if you even NOT understand it:
https://www.hiren.info/pages/bios-boot-cdrom
6. Select "Start Boot CD"

I have had the problem before and my dad was the one to fix it using the program. What you do is put the burned copy of Hiren's Boot CD into the computer and restart it. Set to "Boot from disc drive" by pressing any one of the buttons during the boot up screen. Then just follow the steps. If you are having a hard time understanding, click the link or copy or whatever and go to the page for more information.

Hope this information helps you!

ZGWin · Answer

First off, John D. you are thief, 500$ for an IT install disc is bull when you can just download them or call the companies for a copy. There is no IT version of an installation disc, only volume licensing, and you still cannot use someone elses volume product keys unless you know their domain name and company name and support contact, along with the product key, and the build number and exact specs on the systems they are deploying their copy of the disc on. Installation discs are nothing without product keys, unless you have a cracked copy of one, or access to a third party program that will void out the activation client (oobe.exe).

There are 3 real ways to bypass any stuck passwords on any XP computer.

1. Use the build in machine administrator, if it's unlocked. Seeing that administrator's can change the passwords of administrators, access to any local administrative account will yield an entry to the user account control panel applet. To see if your built in admin account is unlocked, you will need to start the computer normally. When it finishes loading, you will have one of two screens: The welcome screen, or the Windows Logon screen. If you have a welcome screen (Windows XP Home default) you will need to press CTRL ALT DEL simultaneously, and then again. CTRL+ALT+DEL release, CTRL+ALT+DEL release. The welcome screen should change to the advanced login screen, that you may already have if you have turned off the welcome screen, or if you are using XP pro, or Windows Server 2003. Next, for username type in Administrator, leave the password blank. If you can get in with this account, or any administrator account, click on start and click run. Type "Control UserPasswords2". From here, adjust the passwords of each account on the computer as you see fit.

2. Next, let's say you can't get into any administrative account, or perhaps windows is not loading all the way because your product key has expired. You will NOT be able to access command prompt in safe mode to change administrative accounts unless you can actually logon to the computer, so if windows is locked because of product key issues, don't try this. But if you can still get into a user account that is not an admin, and you need to unlock an admin, the login as the normal user and create a new account using command prompt (as a limited user you cannot do this via the control panel) and type 

net user Admin2 password1 /create

this creates an account named Admin2 with a password of password1.
next see if you can make this account an admin. type

net localgroup Administrators Admin2 /add
if you get an access denied message, you will need to go to step 3. If you get a command completed successfully, the log out and go to the normal login screen. Then log in as Admin2 with the new account, and you now have admin control of the pc. Go to step 1.

3. If you cannot get into windows as any account or using command prompt in safe mode or if windows is locked with a bad product key, you can use third party software to adjust the Admin Password, or to adjust the microsoft oobe activation client, so that you can regain access. My suggestions would be to use linux boot disc, (which you can put on a CD, floppy, or flash drive) and as long as BIOS is configured to accept a boot order with one of these devices before the harddrive, then you are good to go. If not, you will have to go into BIOS to change it. Type F1 or F2 at startup to gain access to BIOS. If there is a BIOS password, and you don't know it, you will have to reset BIOS using the reset jumper on the inside of the motherboard. Look that up on google for more information.

4. If all else fails, and you cannot get in, you will have to settle for reformatting. This will clear all user data and files previously on the computer though, so save whatever you can before hand. Then, on another computer, download a copy of an installation disc for Torrentz or piratebay and burn the ISO to a disc using IMGBurn or nero, or any of those other hokey ISO burning programs. Then, place the disc in the computer you want to reformat. When it says "Press any key to boot from disc" (during the normal boot) press a key, and wait for the OS to load the WINDOWS Setup Menu. Follow the onscreen instructions to reformat the harddrive and reinstall windows. If it asks you for the current admin password you are doing something wrong. Make sure you are not trying to repair windows, or install windows onto the already made partition. This will ask for a password. You need to press D to delete the partition. Delete all partions on the drive. L to confirm the delete. Then once your disc is empty, press enter to reinstall windows and reformat, etc. Follow the directions on the screen. If you are using a cracked version of Windows, you will not need a product key. If you are using a normal disc, and you have a product key that works (usually on the side of the OEM machine, or on a label on the software package for ordered products) then type that in if it asks for it during setup, or after setup on the first logon when MSOobe (the activator) starts.

Any questions, or if you'd like me to outline specific instructions for you in a specific scenario, e-mail me privately at zgwin (at) zigweb (dot) net. 

~Zach
Microsoft MVP
Software Architect

robmark · Answer

Windows has a built in feature that creates a floppy diskette that helps you reset your password in case you don't remember it. This feature is accessible from Control Panel in the User Accounts applet. To create a password reset disk,click on the user account and click "prevent a forgotten password". You will need one blank formatted floppy disk to complete the task. Keep the floppy disk in a safe place for use in case of a forgotten password.

Most computers running Windows XP do not have a password set for the hidden administrator account that is accessible only in safe mode. You can access safe mode by pressing the F8 key just after the first screen(sometimes know as the BIOS screen). Windows gives a list of options after the F8 key is pressed. Choose the "Safe Mode" option and press Enter. Log on the account called "administrator" and open control panel. Navigate to the user account applet and click on the user account with the forgotten password. Click "remove password" and the account will be password free. This only works when there is no password set on the hidden administrator account. This method works only in Windows XP. The hidden administrator account is not accessible via safe mode in Windows Vista.

Third party tools have been developed that help you reset your Windows password. My personal favorite is "Windows password Recovery Tool 2.0". The software gives you the option to remove the password from any user account. Moreover, the software works for almost every version of Windows out there both 32-bit and 64-bit. It has both DOS and Windows versions. I prefer the Windows version since it uses a simple graphical interface and it is a lot easier to use than the DOS version.

overlrod21 · Answer

the following is the mail I received from you :

1.) turn off your computer then press F8 keep dowing it when you see a black screen it will tell you to go in to safe mode push that one puss enter agine and thine it will give you some codes just egnore the codes then when you have youer login screen push ctrl and alt and delete push those botton the same time do it agine an agine thine you will see a nother screen will come up it will tell you to type in youer user name and password will the username type in Administrator and for the password dont put nothing in it okay thin push enter there you go. 

i am sorry to say this has not helped  me,have you any other ideas 

it keeps say please check that your domain and password are correct, and I have countless times but it wont work and it was in safe mode I got all the codes on screen and then it said put in user name and password and then I did what u said and I got no where so...........

ANY OTHER IDEAS THIS IS DRIVING ME MAD

THANKS

dz bunni · Answer

THIS  EASY METHOD JUST WORKED FOR ME, I BYPASSED THE PASSWORD BY DELEATING IT, THEN CREATED NEW ONE, SYSTEM WORKING GREAT, NO ADVERSE GLITCHES ! 
I have a dell laptop, forgot the password I created, and I am the main account holder. my computer guy I assume has created an administrator password, but when I contacted him about this issue, I was told there would be a $50 fee to reset the password, so I came to this forum and tried every method listed here! 
Of course, it wasnt untill I got to the last few postings that I found one that worked!
This method just worked completey for me, I am now operating windows in normal mode and happy to of impressed myself, lol! I decided to post this method in PLAIN ENGLISH, for those of us less computer savy.

1. when windows is starting up press F8 (I had to attempt this a few times till I got it right, when I continuously hit the F8 key as fast as I could it worked, but you must begin hitting it as soon as windows begins to load)

2. (This will take you into a screen where windows lists different settings you can choose, as to how you want windows to run. I used the arrow keys on my keyboard, and selected safe mode)
select    SAFE MODE 

3. (for user name, type the word)  administrator 

4. (no password should be needed, so then press) enter

5.(windows should then load in safe mode. accsess the control panel by doing the following);
click start , control panel , user accounts 

6. once in user accounts, find the name of the account that you need the password for, and 
click on that account , 
 then click on the option to remove the password for that account
THAT ACCOUNT IS NOW PASSWORD FREE !!!!

7. restart windows in normal mode and log in!
 
I also then managed to create (recreate) a password for that account as well, and then I created a  guest account too!

pj · Answer

hi guys I hope this might help.

I noticed that the question about the password is re-ocurring without the actualo answer.

follow all the instructions as previously mentioned. the easiest way is to login from the ide when windows starts use the control + ALT + DEL to login as different user.

The username is "Administrator"
The Password is: "Admin" or "admin"

obviously dont use the quotation marks with these.

There is however one other issue that may stop anyone getting logged in? you may have secondary login or access rights disabled aswell as Net login.

In many cases if the standard windows admin settings have been changed either by the user or a previous user then you will more than likely need to clean install or use the recovery media or point on the drive.

I would try all the toggle keys to see if the recovery media is installed on the hard-drive usualy its the f11 or f12 if not specifyed at the pass on the bios when the machine boots.

if all else fails buy a copy of xp or vista and clean install after all if its all legit you have nothing to worry about!

No xp pro disc and lost admin password

8 responses

Similar discussions

Subscribe To Our Newsletter!