Password protected computer problems

[iowagunns]

I recieved a computer from a friend that is password protected. He forgot the password. Is there anyway to get around this?

The operating system is Windows 2000 Professional. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Corny]

is windows password protected, or the bios? do you get a login prompt as soon as you boot the machine or do you already see some windows login form?

if it is windows: just reinstall windows by booting from cd.
if it is a bios password: you'll have to open the machine, remove the bios battery wait a few hours, put it back in, try again. (or look for the "reset cmos" jumper). you might need to re-configure some bios settings afterwards, so look for someone who can help you with that if you don't know what this is about

 

[iowagunns]

Thanks Corny, I will give those ideas a try.

 

[mike_n_herrin]

if it's just the windows password, i believe the free (runs from a CD) linux Knoppix will reset a windows password. you'll have to aquire the knoppix cd, but there is a knoppix 5.0 cd in this months "linux pro" magazine (i just got a copy for 9.99 at barnes and nobels).

now this gets a bit tricky if you've never used knoppix or linux before, but it can be done. you might pm t-rex and see if he can explain.

i've been told that there are utilities out there that will do it for you. I see one is here that will not reset it, but will tell you what the password is.: http://www.loginrecovery.com/

 

[iowagunns]

T-Rexx:

I went to the site that you listed and it seems that it would do what I need but I can't locate either one of the files that it tells me I need to download. I think I found the equivelant for the bd file but not for the rawwrite file. Do you know where I can download the rawwrite file? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[mike_n_herrin]

i googled for it and it i think you can get rawwrite here: http://www.chrysocome.net/rawwrite

i think the bd file must have been updated. i see another version (or what i think is another version of the file here near the bottom along with 3-4 other files you can down load: http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/


bd050303.zip

 

[mike_n_herrin]

/\ my password is 10 characters/digits long.

 

[left2right]

google a way on how to modify the .sam file and ur password problems are soved.