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by mochoukri

Closed to new repliesThis discussion is closed. It stays readable, but it takes no new replies.

hi Everyone,
i forgot my administrator login password.i use windows xp.can please someone help me?
thanks

131 replies

by maxwell edison

.
People claiming to have lost their passwords cause red flags to pop up in any professional's mind.

You could be a pissed off employee looking to do harm before you leave. You could be a fourteen year old teenager looking to circumvent your parents' password protections. You could just be a snoop looking to mind other people's business.

A good administrator who really did forget a password would know how to best recover from it without posting such a question here.

by mcs-1

Member since March 2005, first post ... 3 seconds later. Raises about 10 red flags to me.

Similar question would be ... "I lost the PIN to my bank card, does anybody know how to recover it?"

by deepsand

This is a tech. problem, in search of a solution.

It properly belongs in "Technical Q&A," not in "Discussions." Please re-post there.

Not only will you be more likely to attract the attention of those seeking to provide answers, but you will also make it easier for those seeking discussions to find such.

Thank you.

by deepsand

By directing him to the proper forum, he might post Tech. Questions there in the future.

And, were he looking to recover, for example, the text of a password, remembered by an application, from the masked display field, he would there receive a useful response.

by tony hopkinson

Re-install the OS.
Still at least one person is following strong password methods, or possibly left caps lock on while entering sEcrEt.

by maxwell edison

.
Check the CAPS lock or reinstall the O.S.

Personally, I would never help anyone circumvent a password. How would I like it, for example, if one of you guys helped my teenaged son get around passwords that I had in place? How would I like it if one of you guys helped a disgruntled employee wreak havoc with my network? Well I wouldn't like it. So actually, I'm just taking a "do unto others" type attitude. This is especially true in the current day of identity theft run amok.

My guess is that 9 out of 10 "password" questions are from people who are up to no good. Of course I have no way of knowing, but it's just my gut feeling; however, it's based on the way questions are asked and by whom. This guy, for example, has participated in absolutely no discussions, nor has he asked or answered any questions before. Moreover, he's only been a member of TechRepublic since - well, since yesterday. Now if a regular TechRepublic member posted a message that said, "I'm an idiot and I lost a customer's password because.........", then I would certainly offer some suggestions if I had any. But helping Colin or Julian or Oz or Chas or Tony or any other regular is quite different, in this case, than helping a total stranger, so to speak.

So color me skeptical. This question, in my mind, is about as legitimate as a phony three dollar bill.

by willcomp

While I agree that TQ&A is appropriate place for such questions, it's much more fun in discussions where they can be properly humiliated.

Also, someone asked the same question recently in TQ&A and some doofus answered it after I and several others refused and noted why (sounded like little Junior trying to get into Dad's PC).

My personal policy is that I will respond to such requests only if a good, believable explanation is provided via private message.

Dalton

by puppybreath

You'll have to reinstall the OS. If you write down the new password and tape it to the underside of your keyboard, you can prevent this from happening in the future.

by puppybreath

That's not very secure, leaving it out in the open like that. Who would think to look under the keyboard? Actually, I don't put passwords on my servers because it's so inconvenient. But I have a strict policy that no one can enter the server room. It would help if there was a door on the room, but I put tape on the floor where the door should be.
Since he already had a password, I thought I'd help with the problem and offer a solution to prevent lost passwords.

by mcs-1

:) Funny enough - this happens. Working in an office once I asked if the Post-It stuck on the monitor bezel was for real. Had about 5 usernames and corresponding passwords. The lady told me they do that in case there is a problem with their account they log in as somebody else.
Of course I asked why they didn't just drop the "security" (yes, term used very loosley) entirely??

by puppybreath

Oops! I forgot to update my profile since I joined TechRepublic. I'm no longer a network administrator. I am now a network security consultant. Sorry for the incorrect information.

by puppybreath

a bit of humor......

I thought it as obvious with the quips about the door to my server room (think Les Nessman at WKRP). I am a consultant, but it has nothing to do with network security.
But anyone with half a brain knows better than to give this type of information to unknown users to allow them to hack into systems.
Fortunately, no one mentioned the easy way of getting admin passwords with the following command:

WINNT /PASSWORD /ADMIN /RECALL /PLEASE /THANKYOU

That would have really been bad for all of us.

by puppybreath

Thanks for the suggestion, but I had no intention of putting a lock on the door so a key isn't necessary. Locking and unlocking the door all day would be another inconvenience and hassle that would lower my productivity.

by maxwell edison

.
Quite frankly, I'm, not on the "post in the correct forum" bandwagon. It's an effort in futility "directing" people to the right forum, as it will be a never-ending process. Moreover, in some small way, you may have actually HELPED someone who's up to no good. No, he won't get an answer in this thread, but you just told him where he might get one.

by prana7

yyeahh you got right. I saw some users have Post-It stuck on the monitor. i asked them why do you do that? why dont you put under table or put somwehere which can t see. they said that it s easy for them to look at it. also you said that they do that in case there is a problem with their account they log in as somebody else. security s bad.

by maxwell edison

.
Did you read any of the other answers before you posted this?

What compelled you to provide the answer that you did?

by puppybreath

I'd be curious to know his reaction if someone took the information he so freely provided and hacked into one of his systems. Common sense must be a lost skillset.

by willcomp

Max,

What else can you say?

Note that it is a newbie with no real info in profile.

You may translate doofus into a more vulgar expression if you so desire.

Dalton

by billinn(nospam)

Now you tell me? After many frustrating hours I put the drive in another computer as slave and did a low level format. Then the fun part, reinstalling all programs and recovering the backed up data. Weeks, not hours. This drive is going to be mirrored to a new one and stored in a vault.

by comp1systems

With the way fraud and identity theft is these days, you say,
"Opps! I've lost or forgotten my password," will send an
array of mixed signals, and not to mention the red flags
that'll go flying around. I learned that a good computer
administrator will know what to do to recover a password,
and know what to do to not lose it, forget it, or let others
know what it is. You could be some maniac looking to
download a virus, or a disgruntled employee who was fired.
Securities are set for reasons especially when computer
administrators are in charge. Good luck finding it!

by synthetic

If your not a competent admin with the ability and tools at your disposal, then losing your password is good for the soul. I bet after losing any unreachable data, and going through the labors image, build, and patch process, you won't quickly do it again. If you happen across the UNIX PSW Root Hack, or learn to customize and control ERD 2000, you maybe able to recover, again though, should you had these tools and knowledge already, you wouldn't be posting here.

by deepsand

Do you also think it safe to leave the key to your house under the door mat, or above the jam?

by craig herberg

Didn't you get the memo? "Hard of thinking" has been replaced by "freedom from thought," as in "He enjoys freedom from thought."

by trockii

I only have 35 computers here but about 6-7 of them have post it notes with their user name and password. I rip them down everytime I see them but then they just reappear.

by mavv

I really hope you are not being serious. Because if you are good luck with that. No password on the server but having "a strict policy that no one can enter the server room", a room without a door I might add, is utterly ridiculous. And then to offer taping the password under the keyboard as a "solution"! My god man are you nuts! I would hate to have you as my IT Consultant, Network Admin or anything remotely to do with computers!

by choppit

of the potential cost savings from having no firewalll and AV. All you need is a sign saying "Strictly no viruses or hackers allowed" ;)

by mavv

That would work just about as effectively too. I still can't believe that this "consultant" actually said that. I have told this to many of my peers and they were just floored. These guys are consultants and Network Admins and have been for many years and just cringed at the thought of what this guy suggested as a solution! THis one will go down in history as one of the dumbest ways to protect a server. Tape on the floor...can we say Les Nessman! :D

by brentc76

go to the following link, I have had to recover the local Admin password of a 2000 box, Althouhgh I have not had much success with XP admin acct.

http://www.petri.co.il/forgot_administrator_password.htm

I have used the following and had great success w/ 2000 machines.

bd050303.zip (~1.1MB) - Bootdisk image, date 050303.

(this is toward thebottom of the screen.)
Good Luck!

by methatswho

Man, now I have seen about everything!!! We have a great many people on this forum giving good advice and a few that are hell-bent on giving this person a way to break-in to a computer. If he were legitimate, he would have found a way to do this through the Internet. Now he has a way to do it without using the Internet. Wow! Doofus is not a good description for those who fell into this trap!

by tony hopkinson

I mean to type gogole first time wthout spelling it as ggoole is damn hard.
Being a Brit I've had to pick up the meaning of doofus by context, getting the impression it means stupid w@nker in propa inglish.

by nottheusual1

Many who suffer from rectal-cranial insertion also suffer the much maligned and overlooked symptoms of doofusitis majoris. When multiple sufferers are located in the same area (like neo-modern cubicle cities) we refer to them as a herd, like "a herd of doofi". (hey - I've got a book title here....)

Modern medicine hasn't overlooked these poor creatures. With a simple in-office procedure called a doofiectomy, the patient can be on the fast road to recovery.

Followed up with physical therapy and a supportive environment, we've even seen a lessening of the more severe parent disease, rectal-cranial insertion.

Avoid contact with anything Starbucks related, anything resemblind a Evian bottle and and any automobile that must use initials because the real name is too tough to pronounce without a German accent for a minimum of 90 days.

Your results may vary.

by hjohnston8

As someone who is looking for my first job in IT, I was worried that I was not as qualified as some. But after reading some of the posts in this thread (and you know which ones I'm referring to), it has become apparent that the only qualification that some companies have is the fact that you are breathing.
If the original poster can tell me where they are planning to hack into, I'm sure they will have some openings soon.

by ippirate

Tony you should know that, it's 1st grade grammar

To refresh

Doofus-singular
Doofuses-plural
Doofussembly-A collective of Doofuses
Doofusex-How Doofuses procreate
Doofumism-The primary method of verbal communication, unfortunately it generally just dwindles aimlessly and fails to facilitate any real transfer of information.

by dr dij

evolve into another species eventually if they were stranded on the Galapagos?

by tony hopkinson

at age fourteen, I had the choice of latin, social history or computer applied science, I foolishly chose the latter and became a linguistically and socio-horogically challenged geek managed by doofae.

I could have known the answer to my own question without ever being in a position to have to ask it, funny how life turns out isn't it ?

by ippirate

Why did you tell everyone? I would have just gone back and gotten, quietly going about my business and none of the rest here would have ever been the wiser.

Or maybe you mean you lost it? Your mom could probably help with that and in here absense I will be more than happy to surogate. Where did you have it last? Did you look there?

Or maybe you mean that you don't have the ability to recall it? In that case I will remind you that it is always, always, always very, very, very, realy big time important to write these things down for further reference. At least that's what they said on TechTV.

Let me know if I can do anything else to be of assistance. Have a nice day!

by craig herberg

If you always make your password
"Damn, I forgot my password" you will have a high quality passphrase that will remind you what it is every time you forget it.

by jellimonsta

You could tattoo your password in hieroglyphics in reverse order around your left nipple (obviously including numeric and special characters).
That way it is nice and safe.
Hopefully you have enough money saved for the 90 day, laser removal/ new password tattoo cycle. :)

by jerrythompson

If you forgot your password then how did you post a question on this forum? Unless you didn't really forget your password, or maybe you have lots of computers and you forgot the password for the computer you were using so you swithed to another computer until the password you were using finally worked. However, it is much easier to use the same password on all your computers so you won't have to ask us, Oh, by the way, what is your password? Never mind, I don't want to know!

by deepsand

The only real return I experienced from going to school was that of a few teachers who were helpful in assisting me with gainging access to the resources needed for me to educate myself.

by no name specified

Deepsand, you should give credit where credit is due... you and I both know that this is someone else's quote, not your own idea or words. So have some integrity and at leaset place quotes around phrases that are not yours and stop trying to seem cool or insightful when you're not--if you were you would have come up with something ORIGINAL. From what I have read you must be proud owner of a Reader's Digest subscription, in which you read Quotable Quotes... I did a few time when I was a kid, and then I grew up.

by deepsand

If you had bothered to read that whole of the discussion, along with the supplicant's other post, you would have realized that he is an amateur cracker!

by no name specified

In reality what is really funny to me is that some of you can be lead by your noses so easily!!! You guys are actually believing that this is a real solution he practices??? I think you are the ones to go down in history for being REALLY dumb. Question: does being a geek void you from recognizing when someone is pulling your leg? Only those to whom the shoe fits (and/or his/her peers) may answer. Hmm, I smell coffee... can't you?

by mb_96_net

The law recently changed on the issue of document and more specifically email retention. This is the laymen?s form of the law pertaining to email retention.

It basically says that if your company has all it's records subpoenaed then all email can fall under that subpoena, and can be used to build a case against your company. Because email is usually an informal form of communication email is more likely than most official documents to contain documentation that is damaging to a company's image or case which the documents are subpoenaed for. If it is discovered that just before (within a couple months) all your email is subpoenaed they are destroyed, it could be considered obstruction of justice and you could be on the hook for more than the original case against your company and you personally could be facing charges. However, the law allowing email to be subpoenaed and used in court also says that if your company's policy for email retention states that you will not retain email after a certain period (in this case 30 days) and you follow that policy (and have been following that policy for a long time i.e. you didn't just implement that policy just before the email was subpoenaed), then deleting these email in accordance to the policy is NOT obstruction to justice and you and your company are not liable and are not required to produce email from 30 days prior to the subpoena.

So you company has decided that email could be a liability if it was ever sued or charged and email was subpoenaed. And to protect the company they have decided to take the safe path and implement the protective policy. This could also be a bad idea, because past email cannot be used for the defence of such a case either. Either way you don?t need to worry about this being a moral dilemma for you; because it is a company policy which you are following and you are protected by that policy. If you were asked to one day delete all email from before a certain date, but not asked to continue to implement it as a policy moving forward, and at the same time a week later those email were subpoenaed, then it could be potentially a big problem. In this case though, you don?t need to worry.

by deepsand

Much of what you read here, and in other discussions, is NOT intended as SERIOUS discourse.

Lighten up, and go with the flow.

by ippirate

That they do not as they generally end up as subject matter on such sites as "Darwin Awards". Their propensity toward self-destructive behaviour is surpising and the very fact that these creatures survive to any degree of age beyond birth, and not being still-born at that, is amazing. On the endangered species list, they do present quite the ironic turn of events as most authorities wish to recognize and protect the unique niche these creatures fulfill within their ecosystem however, the overwhelming threat that they currently present to society forms the basis of arguments for their complete irradication.

by hockeyist

(Before you do all of this make sure you down load a typewriter key sound effect theme and install it. Also make sure that you hear a beep when you CRLF)

...if you don't know the password.
Type
Access secret password file_

then a lot of text will display.
Look intelligently through the text and then type whatever you like on the keyboard. I've seen this on some movie once where someone was breaking into a supercomputer so it should work for you.

by puppybreath

to mention that this only works if you are suspended on a cable above the Server. If you are grounded in any way, the command you mentioned sets off an alarm. Or were you trying to set him up to get apprehended once the alarm went off?

by tony hopkinson

has been ringing loudly since the question was asked.
Besides, you forgot to tell him to put his glasses on, a mandatory requirement for a professional computer type that.

by hockeyist

...the fun after he gets busted. I am of course monitoring his activities via a webcam in broadcast quality on my laptop across a 300/75Baud connection.

by no name specified

one of those highly sophisticated monitors that will emmit the appropiate sounds as it displays, whether it's text or images. However, in the backgeround you need music that computers like: suspense with heroic overtones if you are legit and are trying to save the day, or suspense dreadful if you're not the good guy.

One last thing: you need for someone to be "just about to bust you", otherwise you will never get the right password.

So where did you say you stole this laptop from?

by ippirate

Senior Management is a product of progressive lobotomy. In most corporate offices you will find, within the job description, the mandate to many items such as reality, rational thought, indifference to legitimate need, constructive input and justified utilization of resources, among others. If you read a few lines further, after the actual responsibilities charter, you will generally find a sub-section which direct "intellectual revisionary assistance and/or training" in the event that the newly gained executive is not able to fulfill his/her "responsibilities" on his/her own.

Although very similar and often, much justified, the classing of progressive lobotomites with doofi is incorrect and tends to incite violent reactions on the part of the doofus, a telling display of at least a shred of intellectual realisation.

J

by craig herberg

Merriam-Webster foolishly thinks it's doo?fus?es, but they probably never took Latin. To tell the truth, the REAL plural of doofus is DORKS.

by craig herberg

And to think you COULD have learned about Romulus and Remus being raised by a she-wolf.

Indeed, life does present its ironies. . .

by hockeyist

lab coat/sweater or lycra outfit depending on whether the hacker is government funded or not.

by kevin.pawsey

There is a very handy liux distro that will let you reset the admin password, take a look for EBCD.

There are a lot of handy tools on it, but that should sort your problem out (if you haven't reinstalled already!)

Hope this is of some help.

by tony hopkinson

Doofae seem to multiply like rabbits.
Say what's the hunting season for these guys. All those ar$es in red jackets need some new victims for their dogs to shred.