Win2k Login

You'll need to supply some additional info. to troubleshoot this issue.

Does this w2k machine belong to a domain? If so, can you login as a domain admin and either create a new admin user or change the password on the old one?
Does this machine belong to a w2k or nt4 domain?
Also, can you log into the machine locally by selecting the machine name in the domain box on login? Is this where your having the problem?

Otherwise, if you just need the data from it, and would be reformatting it anyways, do a re-install of w2k over the top of the current one, or in another dir., and pull the data off.

Hope I could help.

there was aprogram called lophtcrack that you can run on the sam file and it will desipher the password. Dont know where i got it from but try www.cracks.am or something like that. (lots of popups though)

Poster #1 is on the right track. If it is a member of a domain, log in as a domain admin.

If not and there is important info on there you have 2 options.

1. Reinstall 2K into a different directory. Do not reformat. Keep the existing directory structure. This will give you access again to the files.

2. Go to www.sysinternals.com you need locksmith 2.0, you will be able to change the admin password with it.

Answer number 3 is the stock Microsoft answer, however being that many of use have laptops going back and forth to new users this problem is a wide spread one. The easy solution is to either by 3rd party software to edit those sam files or use a linux boot disk utility to edit those files. THis should give you a good head start on this problem.

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