Need help getting into Win2k without password

[robisc]

This is legit, I have been running dual boot XP and 2k for a while now but haven't used 2k since I installed XP. Now I need to get into my 2k install and now I can't remember the passwords for either mine or as the admin, is there anyway to find out what the password is from within XP? I can see all the files and such I just need to actually get into 2k.

 

[Saltin]

The passwords arent stored in plain text like they are in say, 98. You have very limited options if you have forgotten all the admin passwords.
You could download a version of L0pht Crack and run it on your XP install. Point it to the 2k SAM ( file where the passwords are stored).
It will use a dictionary and then brute Force to try and crack the passwords. If you know your password was an english word found in the dictionary, then you may be ok. If it wasnt and/or had numbers and/or non alpha characters in it, you could be in serious trouble, as this could take days, even weeks to brute force.

The really crappy part about all this is that you will most likely never get in to your 2k install again. The time it takes to brute force a password often makes a re-install a more attractive option.

 

[richardnoggin]

Go to http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/bootdisk.html and get the file bd011022.zip. This is a linux boot disk image that will allow you to change any password ( admin or other) of any NT or 2k box. Watch the defaults of the command line entries, the only change you may have to make is to the path of you sam files since you are working with a dual boot.