USED Comnputer w/ password, can't get in.

[WA261]

Buddy of mine purchased a used Dell. He did not get any software with it. So a format would not be the best bet. Is there any way to get around a password?

 

[JDMnAR1]

Is this a BIOS password, or a user password once the OS loads?

 

[Lord Evermore]

I doubt most people selling a Dell have any idea how to set a BIOS password. Besides which he mentioned software so I assume he means Windows.

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...atid=32&threadid=1911341&enterthread=y

Then once you've gotten past the password, get ready for all the illegal porn, credit card numbers, and company trade secrets which are sure to be still on the hard drive.

I'm not sure how Dell does it these days, but there may also be a recovery partition on the hard drive, which would allow you to reimage it and restore it to the original state. I suppose it's BARELY possible they'd sell you a restore CD if that came with it originally, but low probability since your friend isn't the original owner in their records. The original owner could contact Dell to get the disk though, or transfer the ownership in their records.

Running a used system with the original owner's entire software setup isn't a terribly great idea. Who knows what kind of cruft there will be on it.

 

[doornail]

Originally posted by: Lord Evermore
I'm not sure how Dell does it these days, but there may also be a recovery partition on the hard drive, which would allow you to reimage it and restore it to the original state. I suppose it's BARELY possible they'd sell you a restore CD if that came with it originally, but low probability since your friend isn't the original owner in their records. The original owner could contact Dell to get the disk though, or transfer the ownership in their records.

I just did this on a Dell laptop belonging to a co-worker's daughter (gunked up with spyware/viruses). You press CTRL-F11 at the Dell logo on start up and it takes you to a recovery menu. Probably wont wok on older laptops though.

 

[trance247]

there is also program that resets windows xp pro admin password, google it

 

[Lord Evermore]

You mean like the ones in the thread I linked to which also was asking about resetting passwords?

 

[skyking]

A typical dell setup will have a password on the owner's account, and fast user switching enabled.
It will also have NO administrator password set
with fast user switching enabled, you are effectively locked out of the administrator account, that is until you boot into safe mode

 

[Zugzwang152]

Originally posted by: skyking
A typical dell setup will have a password on the owner's account, and fast user switching enabled.
It will also have NO administrator password set
with fast user switching enabled, you are effectively locked out of the administrator account, that is until you boot into safe mode

If you're talking about the Welcome Screen, you can easily hit CTRL-ALT-DEL twice at it to bring up the classic login prompt.

 

[skyking]

This is true, but most folks do not think of the administrator account and the fact that many users will overlook securing it. I guess that was my real message.

 

[Jojo1971]

Originally posted by: skyking
This is true, but most folks do not think of the administrator account and the fact that many users will overlook securing it. I guess that was my real message.

very true...

 

[Brazen]

He never said it had Windows XP on it.

 

[Lord Evermore]

It's a used Dell. Unless it is from pre-2001, which would have made it worthless even to purchase used, it has WinXP on it.

 

[JDMnAR1]

Originally posted by: Lord Evermore
It's a used Dell. Unless it is from pre-2001, which would have made it worthless even to purchase used, it has WinXP on it.

Not necessarily true - Dell does sell machines without an OS on them, and has for a while now. Also, you are assuming that the machine was resold as it was delivered from Dell. Of course, the chances are that you are correct.

 

[Brazen]

Originally posted by: JDMnAR1

Originally posted by: Lord Evermore
It's a used Dell. Unless it is from pre-2001, which would have made it worthless even to purchase used, it has WinXP on it.

Not necessarily true - Dell does sell machines without an OS on them, and has for a while now. Also, you are assuming that the machine was resold as it was delivered from Dell. Of course, the chances are that you are correct.

eh, just thought I would point that out. He doesn't say how old it is. It could even be a PowerEdge with Redhat on it. He was really pretty scarce with information.

 

[Brazen]

I got a call earlier today. First thing the person says, I kid you not, is "is my computer not working?" And that's it.

 

[dealseaker]

Originally posted by: Zugzwang152

Originally posted by: skyking
A typical dell setup will have a password on the owner's account, and fast user switching enabled.
It will also have NO administrator password set
with fast user switching enabled, you are effectively locked out of the administrator account, that is until you boot into safe mode

If you're talking about the Welcome Screen, you can easily hit CTRL-ALT-DEL twice at it to bring up the classic login prompt.

thats how I fixed a buddy's comp he dropped by my house the other day, he forgot to leave his password, I just did that and fixed the driver issue he had and it was done, he never did ask how I logged on with out his password.