Can't start windows after admin password reset.

Hello

I'm trying to sort something out for someone. They usually log into their windows xp system as a user that is not an admin, this has made a lot of problems for them as the user account has privaledge restrictions in areas of use that they need. They cannot creat a new user account with admin rights in the usual way because they do not know the administrator password. I think the only accounts on the system are the built in accounts (3 of them, one of which being the default "Administrator" account, of which we don't know the password) and then one user account, the account they usually use to log in.

I used some software called Windows Key to create a boot cd that claims it will reset the admin password and you'll be able to log in as Administrator with a blank password. I booted to it, chose the windows installation I wanted to affect, chose which account I wanted to reset the password for (Administrator) and then completed the process of restting the password.

When I rebooted the system I just got the blinking underscore in the top left corner of the screen and windows did not boot. None of the advanced boot options including last known good, or any of the safe mode options allow it to boot. They all end up with the blinking underscore and nothing more at one point in the boot process. "Start windows normally" also does not work.


To make matters worse perhaps, they do not have windows cd which the os was installed from. The computer is old and is not terribly important but has some data on it that needs to be recovered. If worse comes to worse I guess there should be no problem in putting the hd into another system and copying the files over? However I would very much prefer if I could get the system up and running for them again with this current xp installation as they would have no pc to use until they get their new one (not for another 2 months).

Do I have any options with the recovery console or a repair installation? Considering I would not be using the same windows cd and the admin password has be resetted and obviously something has been screwed up. A repair installation will usually just keep the acconts and passwords whcih would solve nothing unless that password has actually been reset.

Any help much appreciated, thanks.

EDIT: link to the Windows Key website: http://www.lostpassword.com/windows.htm

 

The makers eventually got back to me and advised that I try to boot into safe mode, doh!

Can anyone help?

 

Thanks for the reply ddp.

Unfortunatley those links point out how to go about the process of resetting the administrators password with the windows utility or third party software. I've already done this, the problem now is that the system won't boot in any possible way.

I tried using UBCD4Win (Ultimate Boot CD 4 Windows) first before I used Windows Key. UBCD4Win seems to be an amazing bit of kit but it didn't work with me. For some reason the linux based password recovery cd image was apparently broken so I couldn't burn it. This was the same with two pcs and two different downloads.

The windows key software I used was based on the windows setup utility that appears when first installing windows. Hmm, wonder if they have permission to do that, I guess that is one of the reasons why they are usually based on Linux, open source...

 

Reinstall windows Xp.
During the installation you will be given the option to keep the files on the computer,do so.
The files that will be kept will be everything that was under C > documents and setting >"persons username".Everything else will be ERASED.


When the installation is complete you will be in a new account.
The files that will have been saved will be under C > documents and setting >"persons username".

The files will be protected and you will not be able to open them to give yourself access to them Go to My computer > tools > Folder options > View and untick the tab "use simple file sharing".

Then go back to the protected file and select properties > security and give yourself full control over those files.

 

Thanks for your reply bunny_c.

I guess you are talking about a repair installation? I thought you would still not be able to log in as admin though (and then change the permissions on the files) because the existing "administrator" account would remain, along with it's unknown password. I thought the only way to get rid of this during a repair installation was to do the f10 trick during reinstallation, then you can delete existing accounts along with their passwords. I could be wrong about this.

I wish I tried this first anyway but it's too late for that now, and the product I used claims it works without a hitch with "100% success rate", so I was pretty confident it would work.

The reason why I'm asking you if this will work and not doing it and seeing for myself is because I'm not where the pc in question is, but I will try it within a couple of days. In the meantime if anyone has any other comments, much appreciated.

 

In the future i suggest you go into safemode and go into the admin account and delete the password.

A couple of months ago i got a virus and had to reinstall windows.
Logically,all the files were erased (including the accounts)but the files under C > documents and setting >"My username" were conserved.

 

"Delete the password", reset the password? Either way, even in safe mode, you need administrator rights.

Yes the files in the user profile will remain after a repair installation of xp, but again, you would need administrator rights (or be assigned the rights by an admin) to do anything relevant with them.

 

Get this piece of software and burn the image to a CD. Boot the CD and follow this... http://home.eunet.no/pnordahl/ntpasswd/cd070409.zip

WINDOWS PASSWORD RESET BOOT DISK
1. Insert Boot CD and ensure CD-Rom is set in Bios.
2. Step ONE: Select disk where Windows Installation is. Select “1” assuming that this
is the only partition available.
3. Step TWO: Select PATH and registry files. Hit “Enter” here, if that fails to work,
type the path manually e.g. winnt/system32/config . At the next prompt, type “1”
4. Step THREE: Password or registry edit. Type “1” here to go to the password menu.
At the next prompt, type “Administrator”, then a “ * ” at the following prompt.
5. Do you really wish to change it? y
6. At the next prompt, type “!”
7. Next prompt, type “q”
8. Step FOUR: Writing back changes. About to write file(s) back! Do it? Type “y”.
Allow to write, then type “n” at the next prompt.
9. You may have to physically shutdown the PC. Do so and restart without the boot
disk.

USERNAME: Administrator
PASSWORD: *BLANK* (Don't put in a password!)

 

False,when booting in safemode, Xp activates an admin account that doesn't require a password.It's not the same admin account as the one you couldn't get into before.

 

Bunny C, I also thought this was the case, in fact, I was 100% sure it was until I tried to log into the system in safe mode and was presented with a welcome screen with administrator and the existing user account as choices, couldn't log in as admin as usual (did try blank password) so logged in as the user (same user that I could log in as in normal mode) as this was the only other option. Once logged in I couldn't affect the user accounts in manager or via control panel.

I don't understand why this is the case because I'm sure I've done similar things before, but it makes sense that you shouldn't be able to boot to safe mode and reset the admin passwords anyway right? I think the reason I couldn't but most people can is something to do with the built in admin account and admin accounts created after that. Perhaps the one on this system was one created after the built in one, then it should have shown 2 admin accounts, but perhaps the built in one was deleted... ?

Chunkhead, thanks for that, I'll try it. One question about these password resetting boot discs, do they have to be created on the system that you want to reset the password(s) on? Cuz obviously that aint gonna happen on this system now.

 

Normally, you can reset your password through going into safemode and logging into the built in admin account.
I truly don't understand why this isn't the case on your computer.
Sometimes it's as if they had a mind of there own(computers).

 

@ bunny_c
He doesn't know the password for the Admin account!!!

@ LDee
No, you can make that disc on any computer. I always carry a copy with me in my tool kit!

 

I'm tottaly aware of this!
That's why i'm trying to find a way to get into his account without the password.

 

Well yeah I think that's what it is then. If the built in admin account has been deleted after the creation of another admin account, it's not just going to let you log in without the password even in safemode is it.

I'm just thinking though, the amount of times I've logged into safe mode without a welcome screen or it requiring a password is a lot, surely some of them must have been on an installation where the built in admin account had a password (not left blank when installing xp). Maybe it just wasn't, maybe all those times the admin password was blank and that's why I was just logged into safe mode straight as an admin.

Chunkhead, thanks, I'll get onto that.