Punz

Lets try it old style and make sure you have your data backed up, just in case...

As you said u have a 7yr old laptop, I am assuming your computer is not a member of any domain and its fitted with floppy drive. If yes, then get a bootable floppy disk and boot your computer using it. Now drill to C:/Windows/System32/Config location and move (not copy) a file called "SAM" from its location to floppy. Take the floppy out and restart your computer. If it asks for a username simply press enter or fill the username and leave password field blank and press enter. In you go.............do what ever you wanna do, reboot and replace SAM file to its location and you should be using it as you were.

wish you luck