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password
- Thread starter ronopp
- Start date
Soundmanred
Lifer
BIOS, Windows, ???
Try this application : http://pogostick.net/~pnh/ntpasswd/
Its pretty simple to use, just follow the onscreen instructions, but don't forget to save the changes after editing. Often people forget.
Did you save the changes and logout the application correctly?
Step by step guide:
Press Enter when faced with the first boot menu.
Press Enter again, to imply 1.
Press Enter to select the right directory path. It should automatically search out the correct one.
Press 1 to do password reset (sam system security)
Press 1 again to do Edit user data and passwords.
Select the account you wish to edit by typing the USERNAME.
Then press 1 to clear the password.
Once cleared press return again, this should bring you back to the User Edit Menu:
Now type ! to go back one level.
Then type Q, this should ask you to write a file, do Y to save. If it says *****EDIT COMPLETE***** it should now have erased the password.
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Okay, have you got a USB flash drive? What file did you burn to the CD? Did you burn the ISO, or put the ISO on the disk?
downloaded the file and burned to disc i also unzipped and burned that to a second disc. set bios to boot from disc saved and restarted and windows still boots...🙁 flash drive will be tried today.
I'm sorry, that must have been so annoying. To use a USB flash drive.
Copy the contents of the USB install zip (located here) to a USB drive.
Open command prompt in administrator mode.
Go to the USB drive letter by typing for example E: (Substitute E for the drive letter)
Once there, type syslinux.exe -ma E: (Substitute E for the drive letter, please DO NOT put C: at all).
If you don't see anything, and the prompt reappears that mean the bootloader has been copied and the USB stick should be bootable.
Change the boot up to first USB, some BIOS's require you to to have the USB flash drive connected while turning on to enable booting off the drive.
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I assume I have to do this on a computer that I can run on administrator mode then boot into laptop i can not log into right? wow i sound like a newbie
Thats correct, yes. Use another computer to write and do the USB flash drive. Then boot the laptop from the newly created bootable flash drive.
exdeath
Lifer
If you don't know what you are doing, stop now before you accidentally format, initiate OEM recovery imaging, etc.
1) You don't need a password to access data on the drive, you can simply plug it into any other PC as a slave drive, either direct via SATA/IDE or with a USB data transfer cable or enclosure, and access data without logging in to that drive if it's not encrypted.
2) Windows passwords are meaningless on a home PC without encryption. Any SAM editor or reset tool such as http://pogostick.net/~pnh/ntpasswd/ can remedy your issue in minutes.
1) You don't need a password to access data on the drive, you can simply plug it into any other PC as a slave drive, either direct via SATA/IDE or with a USB data transfer cable or enclosure, and access data without logging in to that drive if it's not encrypted.
2) Windows passwords are meaningless on a home PC without encryption. Any SAM editor or reset tool such as http://pogostick.net/~pnh/ntpasswd/ can remedy your issue in minutes.
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If he doesn't know what he is doing, then number 1, might be a little harder with a laptop. With regards to number 2, thats exactly what was being told for him to do, with a step-by-step process.
i just used ntpassword to get back my buddys pc that was stored for years. i too had problems getting it to save the password reset, but once i figured it out (followed the directions precisely) it worked great. now i keep the disc around in case someone leaves their laptop full of nude pics in my house
Remember - this is a laptop. Many are deliberately designed to prevent BIOS password recovery. Often it requires sending to OEM.
How did it happen? My guess is a sibling or "friend" accessed the laptop and put that requirement in. This does not happen automagically.
How did it happen? My guess is a sibling or "friend" accessed the laptop and put that requirement in. This does not happen automagically.
Soundmanred
Lifer
If the password is requested before Windows is loaded, it is a HP security password. My laptops (Lenovos) require a fingerprint swipe or password prior to loading Windows. That is an OEM security barrier - not actually part of Windows.
In any case, the photos, etc. can be easily recovered by removing that HDD from the laptop - place in an external USB case, and then access them from any PC. They can be copied, etc.
In any case, the photos, etc. can be easily recovered by removing that HDD from the laptop - place in an external USB case, and then access them from any PC. They can be copied, etc.
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Soundmanred
Lifer
He also stated that "Windows still booted", so he's obviously getting into Windows.
Hopefully the pics or whatever aren't in "My Documents" or one of those stupid Windows folders that Windows "protects" and you can't copy from another PC. Ever since encountering that with XP, I don't use the "My Documents/Music/etc" folders anymore.
Brainonska511
Lifer
Never had that problem. Even after reformatting, all you have to do is use the folder security settings from an administrative account to 'take ownership' of the files and gain access. Or access them from a Linux LiveCD...
Soundmanred
Lifer
To someone who knows PCs and OSes like we do, that's fine.
If my brother in law read that he wouldn't understand a word of it. You can't always think in the terms that we are used to.
For me, drives are so cheap these days that I don't put anything but the OS and programs on the OS drive, so if anything goes wrong I haven't lost anything but time to do a reimage.
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Brainonska511
Lifer
True. But for when I had to do the take ownership thing, I just double clicked on the folder and Windows came up with a prompt for it - of course, at the time, my data was on another partition, so I could reformat without worrying about losing it.
ok nothing i tried worked.....I resorted to pulling hard drive copying anything off she wanted and starting from scratch. I guess my main question is how the computer that is two years old and had always had a blank password decided to suddenly want one. nobody else uses it as we all have our own systems. Curiosity is killing me
Thanks for the help
Ron
Thanks for the help
Ron
For me, drives are so cheap these days that I don't put anything but the OS and programs on the OS drive, so if anything goes wrong I haven't lost anything but time to do a reimage.[/QUOTE]
Agree with that ......i have two extra drives for storage of files and leave the OS in its own!! I bought a external HD for my daughter to do that!!
Agree with that ......i have two extra drives for storage of files and leave the OS in its own!! I bought a external HD for my daughter to do that!!