forgotten password

[Deleted User]

Hello

my friend has had her pc in storage for a year. She can't remember the password to start it up (can't get ppast the password entry page). She's using XP. I know there are ways to recover it but am not sure. Can anyone help with some very basic, easy to follow instructions. Thanks

Lil306

bushbaby1103 wrote: »

Hello

my friend has had her pc in storage for a year. She can't remember the password to start it up (can't get ppast the password entry page). She's using XP. I know there are ways to recover it but am not sure. Can anyone help with some very basic, easy to follow instructions. Thanks

Your friend could try the following... (option 3 probably easiest)

When it's at the username page, press ctrl-alt-del twice and change the username to Administrator, if your friend put an admin password in get them to type it and press enter. It will either logon or not. If they can, go to user accounts in control panel and change this way. If they can't step 2

When computer booting keep pressing F8 and boot into save mode, click the Admin account and type in password when/if prompted, if they can get in, repeat as above, if the account had a password it might not let them in. If the password was blank (highly possible) then they can logon their account and change this way.

If both of the above fail (which I suspect most likely), your friend can download a password breaking program called OPHCrack, you download the version for Vista and burn it to CD. Then they would go into computer BIOS and set it to boot from CD. When booting, it would read the CD and hack the password hashes.

Lil306

Here's a direct DL link, to the WindowsXP OPHCrack CD.

Download, burn to CD (on another PC)

http://downloads.sourceforge.net/project/ophcrack/ophcrack-livecd/2.3.1/ophcrack-xp-livecd-2.3.1.iso?use_mirror=freefr&ts=1280440848

rdpro

Main point - is the password set immediately when the pc starts, or are you referring to the windows login screen?

If it's the login screen, try booting windows in Safe Mode (press F8 at startup) - that might bypass the login and allow them to reset the password to blank in the User Accounts Control Panel.

fwor

Lil306 wrote: »

your friend can download a password breaking program called OPHCrack

It may work, but you don't need to go to the trouble of cracking the password. Why would she care what it used to be if she can simply reset it to a password of her choice?:

http://www.pogostick.net/~pnh/ntpasswd/

Originally written for Windows NT, but works with XP ok.

Lil306

fwor wrote: »

It may work, but you don't need to go to the trouble of cracking the password. Why would she care what it used to be if she can simply reset it to a password of her choice?:

http://www.pogostick.net/~pnh/ntpasswd/

Originally written for Windows NT, but works with XP ok.

Completely forgot about that tool, I'm so used to using OPHCrack now

23n1th

Glad we're telling people how to break into computers when there's no way of confirming if they're actually telling the truth.

Lil306

23n1th wrote: »

Glad we're telling people how to break into computers when there's no way of confirming if they're actually telling the truth.

I know cool ain't it.... not like they can get the information off Google or anything or that nearly every single post in this section of the forum is a legitimate request.

[Deleted User]

Thanks to everyone for helping out, I'll pass your advice on to my friend, she'll be relieved to be able to access her info etc

23n1th wrote: »

Glad we're telling people how to break into computers when there's no way of confirming if they're actually telling the truth.

I've been a member of this forum for a number of years and have had the pleasure of getting to know many of the useful and friendly people here. Rest assured, they know a dodgy customer when they see one.

Thanks again everyone

fwor

23n1th wrote: »

Glad we're telling people how to break into computers when there's no way of confirming if they're actually telling the truth.

What difference would it make if they are telling the truth or not?

If they can get close enough to boot it from a CD (OPHCrack and Nordahl's tool both require this) then they own it - from a security point of view - anyway.

baza52

rdpro wrote: »

Main point - is the password set immediately when the pc starts, or are you referring to the windows login screen?

If it's the login screen, try booting windows in Safe Mode (press F8 at startup) - that might bypass the login and allow them to reset the password to blank in the User Accounts Control Panel.

"might bypass the login" lol do you know what your talking about?
If it was a BIOS/CMOS password removing the motherboard battery for a few hours would have done the trick.

Best bet is a linux live cd to remove the password.