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May 8, 2007 at 10:56 am #2266486
Administrator Password at boot up
Lockedby jimboguthery · about 16 years, 11 months ago
I have a compaq laptop. Had to reformat harddrive. Installed xp pro completely. When laptop starts for first time it immediately asks for administrator password. I believe it is in the bios and it is somehow protected to where I can not locate it in the bios. Is there a way to remove or correct this issue. I would like to be able to use the laptop again.
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May 8, 2007 at 10:56 am #2523958
Clarifications
by jimboguthery · about 16 years, 11 months ago
In reply to Administrator Password at boot up
Clarifications
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May 8, 2007 at 1:39 pm #2523896
ask the guy you stole it from
by downrighttired · about 16 years, 11 months ago
In reply to Administrator Password at boot up
do you not remember setting it? good luck getting an answer but you can always google the service manual for it see if theres a password jumper or try resetting the cmos by taking battery out for 10 mins.
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May 8, 2007 at 2:28 pm #2523878
Not Stolen
by jimboguthery · about 16 years, 11 months ago
In reply to ask the guy you stole it from
Laptop is bosses wife. She can not find any of original software. Just trying to help them out. It is not a bios password, it is a administrator password for xp pro.
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May 8, 2007 at 1:40 pm #2523895
Have you tried leaving the password blank?
by charliespencer · about 16 years, 11 months ago
In reply to Administrator Password at boot up
Reformatting a hard drive and reinstalling XP would not affect the BIOS. Is the BIOS asking for a password (usually a simple box on a black screen) or is XP asking for the password (fancy graphics, XP logo, etc.)?
if it’s XP asking for the p/w, the default password for the XP Administrator account is a blank or null password. Try leaving the password blank and clicking OK.
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May 8, 2007 at 1:54 pm #2523891
Two seperate passwords for Bios
by collett.sean · about 16 years, 11 months ago
In reply to Have you tried leaving the password blank?
There are two different passwords that can be set in the bios. 1. Standard Cmos password which can be reset by a jumper or removing the cmos battery. 2. Administrator password, and as far as I know, no way to crack that one. IBM’s have a hard drive password that can be set, not sure on Compaq.
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May 8, 2007 at 2:25 pm #2523882
Yeah, but is he seeing a BIOS password prompt?
by charliespencer · about 16 years, 11 months ago
In reply to Two seperate passwords for Bios
Since he wiped the drive and reinstalled XP, I’m betting he’s seeing an XP login prompt with the XP Admininstrator username already displayed. There is no way just reinstalling the OS would configure a BIOS Admin p/w. Unless he did more than the initial post says…
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May 8, 2007 at 8:11 pm #2524848
No BIOS password prompt
by jimboguthery · about 16 years, 11 months ago
In reply to Yeah, but is he seeing a BIOS password prompt?
You have it correct. It is asking for XP Adininstrator password. Do you have any ideas?
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May 8, 2007 at 2:29 pm #2523877
password
by jimboguthery · about 16 years, 11 months ago
In reply to Two seperate passwords for Bios
It is the second of the two choices. Administrator Password.
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May 8, 2007 at 2:26 pm #2523881
XP Administrator account
by jimboguthery · about 16 years, 11 months ago
In reply to Have you tried leaving the password blank?
Yes it is asking me for administrator password. It opens all the way up to windows, but then asks for administrator password.
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November 4, 2008 at 10:54 pm #2806988
Administrator Pasward of Window XP
by rashi_raja · about 15 years, 5 months ago
In reply to XP Administrator account
I want to locate the administrator pasward. When my operating system loged on it requires an administrator pasward besides i have also a restricted account which i am using at this time but i needs to locate an administrator pasward. Waiting for your reply
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November 5, 2008 at 1:32 am #2806972
You”ll be waiting until the next millenium !!…
by older mycroft · about 15 years, 5 months ago
In reply to Administrator Pasward of Window XP
There are TWO reasons why you’ll spend an eternity waiting for an answer:-
#1 You’ve dropped your brand new question right smack-bang in the middle of a thread that’s well over a year old!
#2 We, the members of TechRepublic – A Resource for IT Professionals, will not assist anyone in the recovery/removal of lost passwords. You may have a legitimate reason to recover/remove a password. However, we cannot verify your motives and will therefore not assist anyone in what may be an attempt at gaining unauthorized access to a computer system. Due to the open nature of this forum, any assistance given to help circumvent security measures, even for legitimate purposes, would be available for unscrupulous individuals to use for illegitimate purposes. This is a risk that we, the members of TechRepublic, will not take. Please do not ask questions of this nature on TechRepublic.
If you have a legitimate need to circumvent a password scheme, please contact the vendor for the software / hardware and request their assistance. E.g. Windows XP password recovery/removal issues should be taken up with Microsoft’s technical support, Phoenix BIOS password recovery/removal issues should be taken up with Phoenix Technologies, hard drive password recovery/removal should be taken up with the manufacturer of the hard drive, etc…
To those viewing this post: Please DO NOT respond any further to this thread.
This template has been released under the GNU public license and you are encouraged to use it as a standard reply for questions of similar nature, provided that you make any modifications available to other users.
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May 8, 2007 at 8:08 pm #2524849
Blank or Null Password
by jimboguthery · about 16 years, 11 months ago
In reply to Have you tried leaving the password blank?
I believe it is XP asking for password, because it is a screen just like as if you had multiple user.
Yes, I tried leaving the screen blank, as well as typing Compaq.
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May 8, 2007 at 4:20 pm #2524910
How
by rob miners · about 16 years, 11 months ago
In reply to Administrator Password at boot up
did you format the hard drive?
If the previous owner did not supply the original software where did XP Pro come from?Did you use the Recovery Option at POST to restore the OS?
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May 8, 2007 at 8:14 pm #2524847
Format and ownership
by jimboguthery · about 16 years, 11 months ago
In reply to How
Yes, I formatted the hard drive. The XP Pro is mine, and I am helping my boss’s wife. It is her laptop, and they have misplaced the disks as well as the manual. If has been a real pain for me.
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May 8, 2007 at 10:16 pm #2524807
Try this
by rob miners · about 16 years, 11 months ago
In reply to Format and ownership
You shouldn’t be installing your software onto someone elses PC. It is considerd Piracy. You said that you only formatted the drive. If you haven’t destroyed the partitions you may be able to restore it by hitting a key just after post. It should be F10. If it works let it rebuild the system and give it back. If it dosen’t give it back and tell her that you are unable to continue without the original CD’s. Sometimes doing someone a favor isn’t worth it.
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May 9, 2007 at 4:06 am #2524708
Not necessarily piracy; wipe it and start over.
by charliespencer · about 16 years, 11 months ago
In reply to Try this
If the system has an XP license on the case, and he’s using his disks but that license number, then it’s perfectly legal.
Why not boot it from the XP CD, wipe the drive, and reinstall XP again? It’s going to be quicker than playing e-mail tag. This time, watch the installation closely. At some point, usually toward the end of the installation process, it’s going to ask you to enter an owner name, a system name, and an Administrator password. It may be best to contact the owners and ask them what they want that password to be, since they’re the ones who will be using it.
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May 9, 2007 at 5:56 am #2524672
unattened.txt file
by ugadata · about 16 years, 11 months ago
In reply to Not necessarily piracy; wipe it and start over.
Presuming the Administrator password wasn’t set during the install, it is possible that it was set through a modified unattended.txt file.
I haven’t seen mention of how the actual install was done. (I presume boot from CD, and weather the CD is a “Retail” or “OEM” or even an “Nlited” copy)
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May 9, 2007 at 8:01 am #2524605
good point
by downrighttired · about 16 years, 11 months ago
In reply to unattened.txt file
hard to tell from the vague description of what was done, but this could deff be the problem
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May 9, 2007 at 1:56 pm #2524446
Don’t
by rob miners · about 16 years, 11 months ago
In reply to Not necessarily piracy; wipe it and start over.
see to many licence keys on laptops these days, they are mainly volume agreements and more often than not the OS is on a hidden partition. They don’t normally require activation either.
Edit: The OS is set for an auto install and all the user has to do is set the Location.
I might have to retract that last statement Palmetto, just had a look at my records 6 out of 8 notepads didn’t have a Licence Sticker. It is a requirement for OEM System Builders to make sure it is on there. I took it that he was going to use his key. -
May 10, 2007 at 5:08 am #2523164
Retail laptops have license keys
by charliespencer · about 16 years, 11 months ago
In reply to Don’t
You’re thinking corporate, but nowhere does the guy say he’s working under volume agreement. It’s probably a retail machine.
I do think it’s odd we haven’t heard back from him lately. Either he’s got it fixed or he wasn’t for real. I’m unsubscribing from this topic.
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May 10, 2007 at 5:29 pm #2591599
For real problem
by jimboguthery · about 16 years, 11 months ago
In reply to Retail laptops have license keys
Still not fixed and yes I am for real. Do not think this is to much fun. Would rather have installed completely and be done with it. But, have decided to use friends windows xp home edition and use the key code on the back of the laptop. Maybe that will fix the problem….
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May 9, 2007 at 6:23 am #2524650
is this right?
by downrighttired · about 16 years, 11 months ago
In reply to Format and ownership
So then what your saying is that since getting the laptop youve re-formatted the hard drive, installed your copy of XP and you dont have the password for the admin account?
IF this is right,I dont understand how the admin account has a paswword not set by you. BUT the only way I know of to correct this would be through some form of live cd. I have one that will let you reset windows passwords but cant remember the name of it. Its in my car, ill post it at lunch. You could try searching for ‘live windows repair cd’ or ‘bootable windows repair cd’ you might find a free one. -
May 9, 2007 at 11:11 am #2524520
ERD Disk Commander
by downrighttired · about 16 years, 11 months ago
In reply to is this right?
is the utility I was thinking of. Its not free though…. havnt come across a similar free util.
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May 9, 2007 at 4:21 pm #2524399
You
by rob miners · about 16 years, 11 months ago
In reply to ERD Disk Commander
cant get it anymore it is no longer supported. M$ have taken over and they are only supporting current contracts that will be phased out. I havent tried it yet but here is a link to a 30 day trial.
Microsoft Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset -
May 10, 2007 at 6:56 am #2523104
UGH
by downrighttired · about 16 years, 11 months ago
In reply to You
i saw something mentioned that windows had bought winternals. SUCKS! fortunately i still have my copy! if you can SOMEHOW find a copy on the internet its definitely worth getting.
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August 2, 2007 at 10:45 pm #2634575
administrator password forget
by selvaganapathy_1979 · about 16 years, 8 months ago
In reply to Administrator Password at boot up
have a compaq laptop. Had to reformat harddrive. Installed xp pro completely. When laptop starts for first time it immediately asks for administrator password. I believe it is in the bios and it is somehow protected to where I can not locate it in the bios. Is there a way to remove or correct this issue. I would like to be able to use the laptop again.
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