nepluto

ok.. here it goes.. i HAD XP.. but i had to reformat.. so i did.. but when i re-installed i first re-install 98SE... then i decided to re-install XP.. well i left that install and went to bed.. when i woke up the next morning i couldnt get onto XP.. there was a password.. but not a typical login.. but when it comes up there is a username on the screen and a password box below for the password.. my brother claims the password is the same as the username.. well i have tried all forms of the username as the pass.. but no luck.. so i was wondering if there was a way to be able to get onto XP and change the password.. or if im able to go into XP's registry from 98SE becuz i partitioned my HD so i could atleast get on.. ... if anyone has any ideas let me know.. THANKS...

Note From Mod....Colors sometimes annoy people, and they will not get your question nocited or answered any faster. So i would suggest not using colors on an entire post. JJB6486

DAZZ

if u havn't, (or know) the administrator password, u can goto the logon screen and hold "ctrl + alt +del" and then type in Administrator, then click on ok,

nepluto

hitting ctrl alt del will let me enter a password?? it wont restart my computer or anything

nepluto

and even if i can.. i dont have an admin pass to enter.. .. that ia s prob

nepluto

ok ok.. if i boot up in safe mode i can get the administrator and the other user to login under.. but i dont know either password.. but if i boot up normaly i can get that box.. but when i try to enter guest it says the administrator has disabled the account... WHAT SHOULD I DO!!!!

baddger

Boot up in Safe Mode login here with the Admin account, go to control panel > user accounts, click on the account you want to change, Delete the account, Delete all accounts you dont know the passwords to. Now create a new account for yourself make sure to check administrative account when you make it. Reboot =O

nepluto

no.. i can only get a screen that shows the 2 accounts.. but i still have no way of knowing the passwords.. i was wondering if there was any way of searching xp's registry from 98.. i partitioned my hd and have XP on one partition and 98 on the other.. .. thanks alot for trying to help

jw50

Your best bet would be to reformat the partition that XP is on and do a new clean install. And dont go to bed until the install is completed

nepluto

thanks.. that is a good idea.. but i would rather not format... someone out there has to know a way of getting the password... PLZ PLZ PLZ HELP

jw50

There are some programs that are supposed to be good for cracking passwords but I dont think they are either free or cheap. If it was easy to find out what the password was what would be the point of having it password protected. I think that you will find that it will be easier and quicker to just bite the bullet and do a reinstall. If you boot to the XP CD and do a full install it will overwrite the existing files, you will have to reinstall your apps but it will not cause you to lose any of your data files.

jw50

BTW, are you sure that your brother entered a password for the Administrator account? You are not required to enter a password when you install XP. Try leaving the password blank and see if that will work.

nepluto

ive check everything.. .. nothing seems to work

JJB6486

Sorry, but it seems like you have to reformat. Unline Win98, XP passwords are stored as encrypted hashes with a unique Security Identifier. There are programs that can crack the passwords, but they cost $100 and may take weeks to crack. Reinstalling would be the easiest way.

JJB6486

nepluto

but dont i have to be on XP to run the password decryptors??? and if i dont. name some of them.. i will buy one..

Lactic.Acid

Windows XP, as much as Microsoft would like you to believe, is not MovieOS XP. You can not type "Crack Password for Administrator" at a command prompt and have it crack a password =) If it were that easy, there would be much more serious security problems in the world. You either need to go in to safe mode, as was stated by baddger, and delete the accounts or just reset the passwords if you can. Otherwise, it's a new installation for you!
/L.A

nepluto

ok.. i can try.. but i doubt i can login as admin,, how can i choose to boot in safe.. i did it on accident last time.. im not sure how though... thanks for all the help... anyway.. i appreciate it

Kr0m

Hit F8 just have it shows your computer details, as it's loading windows. Have you tried just hitting OK without typing in a password?

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chooch

I don't know if its too late but you could delete the sam database file from a dos prompt located in your windows or winnt\system32\config folder. If you are using fat partition any dos boot disk would do, if you are using NTFS there is a neat utility from sysinternals, I think, called ERD Commander that allows you to boot to a dos prompt in a NTFS partition. Once you delete this file the administrator account should be administrator and password blank. hope this helps.......

MeanGene

Maybe your brother had the caps lock on when he typed in the password? (A stab in the dark)

nepluto

CHOOCH.. thanks.. but what is the command to delete the sam database file... i just need the command and i can do it... then i could tell you if it worked.. thanks alot man..