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Password Locked PC

  • 20-11-2003 8:54am
    #1
    IrishPug106GTi
    Closed Accounts Posts: 72 ✭✭


    Guys,
    I have been allowed to take an old PC home from work with the boss' consent. There is nothing illegal going on..!! The problem is, when I got it home and booted it up, it was looking for a password as it must have been connected to the network at work. Is there any way around this so I can start using it myself? It is a Dell Optiplex 1.7MHz P4. That is all I know about the system.

    Just to reiterate, the PC was slightly damaged at the front where something hit off it but the internals are perfect, that is why I was allowed to take it home.


Comments

  • #2
    Tivoli
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,008 ✭✭✭Tivoli


    what os is it,
    if its old like win98, just press cancel


  • #3
    IrishPug106GTi
    Closed Accounts Posts: 72 ✭✭IrishPug106GTi


    As far as I know, it is either Windows 2000 Professional or Windows NT


  • #4
    jim_bob
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 379 ✭✭jim_bob


    here you go

    http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/bootdisk.html


  • #5
    IrishPug106GTi
    Closed Accounts Posts: 72 ✭✭IrishPug106GTi


    Any chance of getting that in layman's terms..please


  • #6
    Oriel
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 5,154 ✭✭✭Oriel


    I'm afraid if cracking Windows passwords was easy to put in layman's terms, people would be doing it all the time.
    I'd say expect to put a little bit of time and effort into it.

    I'm presuming you can't get hold of anybody who knows the password?
    Or if it's old and there's nothing important on it, you could just reformat it.


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  • #7
    IrishPug106GTi
    Closed Accounts Posts: 72 ✭✭IrishPug106GTi


    Sinecure: There is nothing important on the PC that I want to save. I would prefer to reformat it. How do I do this? I would like to install Windows XP on it.


  • #8
    SouperComputer
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,949 ✭✭✭SouperComputer


    if your feeling lazy, why not get the system recovery disks from dell? Perhaps they have them knocking about in work

    run those babies and your back to day one ;)


  • #9
    IrishPug106GTi
    Closed Accounts Posts: 72 ✭✭IrishPug106GTi


    Ican't get the cd to run as I can't get onto the PC as it is password locked. I tried to get the settings to boot from CD but it was unsuccessful.


  • #10
    Sleipnir
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,514 ✭✭✭Sleipnir


    are you sure it's not the BIOS/system password?
    If it's the OS password it will have the windows logon screen.
    If it's the BIOS password it will just have a DOS-like screen to enter the password.


  • #11
    SouperComputer
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,949 ✭✭✭SouperComputer


    youll have to open the PC, seems you have a BIOS password on the machine.

    if you look at the motherboard, you will see a button battery. There should be a jumper near that with 3 pins. Move the jumper onto the other two pins for 15secs and then put it back.

    If you cant find the jumper, pull out the battery for about 3mins, replace and reboot.


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  • #12
    IrishPug106GTi
    Closed Accounts Posts: 72 ✭✭IrishPug106GTi


    Kanaga:
    It's and OS password as it just asks for login name and password and what domain you wish to log on to. It's just a windows screen with a login box.

    SouperComputer:
    I will give that trick with the battery a try this evening. Thanks.

    Also, how do I reformat the computer?


  • #13
    LoGiE
    Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 2,973 Mod ✭✭✭✭LoGiE


    If you have the winXP CD stick it in the cd drive boot the machine and at the bios hit F1 or Delete (Whichever key gets you to the BIOS menu) From here select the first Boot device to be your CD rom second to be your HD and then save and exit. The PC should now pick up the XP cd and begin the install. Just select format the drive from within the WinXP installer.


  • #14
    IrishPug106GTi
    Closed Accounts Posts: 72 ✭✭IrishPug106GTi


    Souper Computer: Tried the battery trick but nothing changed. Left it out for 15 minutes just to make sure.

    The OS is definitely Windows NT and I am going to reformat it to XP, so can anyone point me in the direction of the cheapest retailer for XP.


  • #15
    quarryman
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,496 ✭✭✭quarryman


    Did you take the battery out and remove the power cable? I've heard this needs to be done.

    Komplett has one WinXP home left. €109.


  • #16
    Karoma
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,396 ✭✭✭✭Karoma


    http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/bootdisk.html

    = a bootdisk that will allow you to recover accounts:
    Read the readme on the site. basically:
    put it on a disk or disc
    put in locked machine
    turn the machine on (fluffy pik handcuffs will help)
    it should boot into an ugly black screen; with a menu system: pretty intuitive from there
    reset passwds (if it allows)
    ...
    better alternative IMO = throw in an OS CD (esp. windows-they love to wipe everywthing + take over) - boot! (mod BIOS as stated above if required). i'll leave it there-"..using illegal copies... wrong...immoral.. yaddyayah"


    ps: you don't need to remove the battery :) that was only if the password appeared just after you started the machine (BIOS)


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