Login Problems

mumbyad · 11-26-2004, 07:57 PM

My mother just bought a computer from someone who she does not know. The login was set as the name of the person she bought it from and it was set to automatically log in with the name and password without the user having to manually type it in. She did not like always seeing the name of the person that she bought it from so she changed the settings so that it would be the Administrator and left the password blank. She left the settings on so that windows would automatically log in as the Administrator with the saved password (which was actually blank) without the user having to do anything. Upon startup windows attempts to sign in as the administrator without a password in there (since she left it blank) and it says that windows can not log you in and to check the password.

I guess my question is if there is anyway to fix this problem. Any feedback would be appreciated. She is running Windows 2000 pro. Thanks

-Andrew

macklonghorn · 11-26-2004, 10:41 PM

Unless you know the admin password (which I assume you do not), your only options are to reinstall Windows or make use of password recovery software.

http://www.petri.co.il/forgot_admini...r_password.htm - This link describes methods and tools that might help you. I have never personally tried anything like this, so you must do so at your own accord. Rewriting password hashes is potentially damaging to the operating system installation, so if it goes horribly wrong, you will have to reinstall Windows, and in turn most, if not all, of your software.

-macklonghorn

mumbyad · 11-27-2004, 02:51 AM

macklonghorn,

thanks for your feedback... I went to that link you provided and was able to make a boot disk. Her computer is in another State, but I tested the disk on my system and I am going to send it to her in the mail and walk her through it (since I know for a fact that she would not even know where to start in making the disk). So everything looks like it will turn out fine. Thanks a lot.

-Andrew

macklonghorn · 11-27-2004, 08:56 PM

Glad to help, no problem.

11-26-2004, 07:57 PM	#1 (permalink)
mumbyad Registered User Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 4 OS: Windows XP	Login Problems My mother just bought a computer from someone who she does not know. The login was set as the name of the person she bought it from and it was set to automatically log in with the name and password without the user having to manually type it in. She did not like always seeing the name of the person that she bought it from so she changed the settings so that it would be the Administrator and left the password blank. She left the settings on so that windows would automatically log in as the Administrator with the saved password (which was actually blank) without the user having to do anything. Upon startup windows attempts to sign in as the administrator without a password in there (since she left it blank) and it says that windows can not log you in and to check the password. I guess my question is if there is anyway to fix this problem. Any feedback would be appreciated. She is running Windows 2000 pro. Thanks -Andrew

11-27-2004, 08:56 PM	#4 (permalink)
macklonghorn Registered User Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Columbus, OH Posts: 16 OS: WindowsXP Professional SP2 My System	Glad to help, no problem. __________________ --MDL

11-26-2004, 10:41 PM	#2 (permalink)
macklonghorn Registered User Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Columbus, OH Posts: 16 OS: WindowsXP Professional SP2 My System	Unless you know the admin password (which I assume you do not), your only options are to reinstall Windows or make use of password recovery software. http://www.petri.co.il/forgot_admini...r_password.htm - This link describes methods and tools that might help you. I have never personally tried anything like this, so you must do so at your own accord. Rewriting password hashes is potentially damaging to the operating system installation, so if it goes horribly wrong, you will have to reinstall Windows, and in turn most, if not all, of your software. -macklonghorn

11-27-2004, 02:51 AM	#3 (permalink)
mumbyad Registered User Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 4 OS: Windows XP	macklonghorn, thanks for your feedback... I went to that link you provided and was able to make a boot disk. Her computer is in another State, but I tested the disk on my system and I am going to send it to her in the mail and walk her through it (since I know for a fact that she would not even know where to start in making the disk). So everything looks like it will turn out fine. Thanks a lot. -Andrew