Windows Vista Forum / Vista Technical / Security / DESPERATE HELP / Latest Posts

RE: DESPERATE HELP

quasar — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 10:08:37 GMT

If your Windows NT, 2000, XP, or Vista machine has a lost administrator password, you can reset the password to null or even recover the password with [url=http://sourceforge.net/projects/ophcrack/]an Ophcrack boot CD[/url].

The software works quickly. It demonstrates that a Windows password alone is not much protection against people with ill intentions.

RE: DESPERATE HELP

WAW8 — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 13:56:22 GMT

Since you're primarily interested in selling the laptop, and want to remove all your personal stuff from it, you have a couple of options.

To try to login, google for NTPassword reset. That should point you to sites where you can download and burn various Linux-based boot CDs that might be able to allow you to reset the password. Sounds like you may already have done that, though.

Second option, since you can't login, is to use the info we have in a sticky in the Recovery forum to boot your machine from a Linux LiveCD, insert an USB thumbdrive, and copy off all your personal stuff. Since laptops generally now come with recovery media, or often present a menu choice on boot up to do a restore, I would do that to restore your laptop to factory fresh condition. Those restores typically reformat your hard drive -- making it very difficult to recover information from it.

DESPERATE HELP

lugidees — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 01:27:15 GMT

ok heres the story....my gf booked it( got out) bout a month ago and left me her lap top saying i deserved it since i bought it and she dint feel right taking it. We haven't really spoken since she moved out east. my problem is i cant log into the comp. its runing Vista Home premium and it needs a password. I tried a program where i could reset but i could only reset the guest password. When you go to log on it stays stuck on her Profile and asks for her password. I cant log in as admin or cant pick another user. CAN ANYONE HELP ME PLEASE?? i have all my photos and music on this lap top and would like to get it off b4 i sell it....any helpers?