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Help urgently needed re: Stupid computer question.

Abigail Blue

18:46 / 24.03.04

My mate changed the Administrator password on our computer (running Windows 98. I think.)and then promptly forgot what he changed it to. Now, since our computer's all messed up, we can't install any new programs, receive antivirus updates, or do just about anything else.

Is there some way of fixing this without backing up all of our files and starting from scratch? Please help!

Wombat

21:31 / 24.03.04

Re-install from the same 98 cd with the same CD key.
You may need to change your BIOS settings to boot from CD.
When the option appears to format your hard drive choose NO!!!!
No data should be lost.
I can`t remember 98 having a built in password system.
Try doing all the stuff you want to do before re-install.

If you`ve lost everything...
It hurts...but get used to it.
Or get paranoid.

If you`ve `lost` your original cd or key..
I can`t help.

Baz Auckland

01:57 / 25.03.04

This should work without installation:

Hold down the left SHIFT key when starting the computer.
Go into DOS
At the c: prompt (or c:\windows) type:
rename *.pwd *.zzz
restart computer

This should reset all the windows passwords on the computer!

(It's worked for me before)

Abigail Blue

15:33 / 25.03.04

Thanks to you both!

I think Baz's solution might be more effective since I have, indeed, 'lost' the original CD... *ahem*

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

01:34 / 26.03.04

Did it work?

I only ask because I really want to laugh at the situation, but I'm trying not to until it's been resolved.

Abigail Blue

11:30 / 26.03.04

You can laugh now, if you like. I won't hear you from all the way over here...

But, just because you're so nice, I'll let you know what happens.

Abigail Blue

21:15 / 26.03.04

Okay. Because I'm a big idiot, I didn't notice that this computer actually runs Windows 2000, not Windows 98.

Shut up, Stoatie.

Um, so what do I do now? Baz's solution doesn't work, and I don't want to bug him anymore via PM since he's been very patient and helpful already. Anyone else have an idea? Anyone?

Baz Auckland

21:23 / 26.03.04

hmm... I used to have a program that would search your computer for every password stored in every little crevice and display them all (no, it wasn't designed for use on your own computer).... let me check around...

Abigail Blue

21:26 / 26.03.04

I will owe you so hugely. Really. Next time I come home for a visit, I'll bake you a cake.

Baz Auckland

21:33 / 26.03.04

Check out this list:

http://neworder.box.sk/codebox.links.php?&key=winpasscrk

There are a few dozen programs that will retrieve your Windows passwords... I don't know where the admin password option even is on mine, so I couldn't test any, but I've had some of them work before!

Grey Area

21:37 / 26.03.04

Microsoft says that you need to reinstall the system. However, you can try here or here for advice. Both sites seem to point to the same tool, written by Petter Nordahl-Hagen (I'd get someone who knows their stuff to do this!).

If that doesn't work, and you are really sure you don't want to lose any data, you could always try the following:
1. Find someone who's willing to let you install your drive as a second drive in their machine
2. Copy all your data to their harddrive, then format your drive.
3. Re-install your harddrive into your computer, install Win2000.

Then either:
4a. Re-install your harddrive into the other computer, copy all the data back onto your drive. Re-re-install your harddrive into your computer.

Or

4b. Get the person who now has your data on their machine to burn your data onto a CD, or hook up both computers with a cable-link to transfer your data back to you.

Abigail Blue

21:41 / 26.03.04

Thank you, good people.

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