where did that password come from??

**pmat** · 28th March 2006

Hi all,

My mate gave me a ring earlier and asked if i'd pop round as he couldn't get onto his pc. The last time he used it he logged off instead of shutting down. Anyway, when he tried to log on a bit later, he was asked for a password! He assures me that he didn't enter/nominate one. I started the pc up in safe mode to enter the system via the Administrator, delete his existing username and create another one.......but when I attempted to do this I was asked for a password when accessing the Administrator's account! Once again, my mate assured me he had nothing to do with this!

Anyone have any idea how...

A) this happened

and

B) what can be done about it?

cheers

pmat

**kracken** · 28th March 2006

sum one set an admin password when they installed windows

**Possy_99** · 28th March 2006

you can try booting into safe mode an accessing the administrator profile from there, funny enough I just come back from a job where the admin account was password protected, but allowed me straight in under safe mode.

..failing that there are some tools widely available for changing the admin password. I've never used them but seen one in use which was based on a linux boot cd ..try here... http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/

**kracken** · 28th March 2006

also have a look at http://wiki.ittoolbox.com/index.php/...do_I_get_in%3F and http://www.experts-exchange.com/Oper..._20348448.html

**pmat** · 29th March 2006

i've just got my hand on erd commander so i'll give it a go tonight.

possy, did you actually read my post?

**Pegasus** · 29th March 2006

Originally Posted by pmat

I started the pc up in safe mode to enter the system via the Administrator, delete his existing username and create another one

I wouldn't do that if I were you, unless of course your friend has no personal data that he is worried about.

Originally Posted by pmat

possy, did you actually read my post?

I'd re-read Possy's post again if I were you and follow the link he provided.

**Possy_99** · 29th March 2006

ah, I think I spotted what you mean, you already mention you tried administrator account in safe mode, took me a few times for that to sink in, lol. Never mind, the link should get you on the right track

..you best bet is to change admin password using a utlity, then you can login to admin and change the user's password

**pmat** · 29th March 2006

cheers possy, i'll give it a go. If it starts taking too much time (mine) i'll tell him to reinstall windows.

*I've just followed the link and it's a bit much really. If it was for my pc i'd consider wading thru it all but I spend enough of my time sorting out clueless mate's pcs. I suppose the real question is how the hell did the password activate? I trawled thru google and it seems that this ain't too uncommon

**Possy_99** · 29th March 2006

wasn't that a bootable linux? no trouble at all really, burn the disk, boot the computer from it and in less than 5mins later you'll be in no probs..

..which version of windows are you running btw?

**MsDG** · 29th March 2006

i have actually known windows to start asking for a password (when no-one has ever set one). The solution was to enter nothing in the password and just hit enter?