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8 replies

by glbcrab

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I have a Dell inspiron 1150 I lent it out and someone set the administrator password and now I cannot get to the administrative rights to load some software I need to use.

8 replies

by 1bn0

But Iv'e already wasted enough time reading the arguments over help vs. hack today so I guessthats all.

by charliespencer

Why don't you ask the person who borrowed it?

Incidentally, they could not have changed it without knowing the old admin p/w. Why did you give it to them?

by glbcrab

Originally I had no password for anybody My FRIEND used it in class and someone told him to protect the Machine with a PW and now I have it back and he doesnt remember what it was. I guess I will never lend anyone anything again. Lesson learned.

by dawgit

on that lesson. I've seen where people have gone to jail because of a very simular situation. In your case, from what you described, a complete wipe, and reinstall would be a minimum. I'm glad that you see the Lesson as a Learned one. Welcome to TR BTW.
(ps, yes there is a way to reset the password, but here on an open site, with someone new is NOT the place to air that. I'll stick with the wipe and re-install, if for no other reason, than just because it will be the BEST way.)
-d

by charliespencer

I apologize for my response to 1bn0's comment above. TR has been overrun by a rash of new wannabes this week posting questions about cracking administrative passwords and by passing system firewalls. I mistook yours for yet another of these cybergnats. Welcome aboard, and I'm sorry you had to learn this lesson the hard way.

If you have to reinstall, be sure you set an admin password during the install process. Then create a user account for yourself for day-to-day activities; logging in as the administrator all the time is a major security hole. You may want to create another user account for those occasions when others will use your machine; be sure this account does not have admin rights.

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