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XP Damaged / Password

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16 replies

by master3bs

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I was given an XP Laptop that wouldn't boot to anything but safe mode. It has no floppy so a repair disk wasn't possible.

I unwisely attempted loading ntldr, boot.ini and ntdetect.com from another xp laptop onto the damaged one. I renamed the old files so they are still there.

Most of you probably know what happened next. Windows won't load at all. I've tried changing the files back using a DOS utility on the Ultimate boot cd, but the entire drive is read only.

I also tried doing a repair from the windows xp machine, but the user doesn't know her administration password. I have since searched on the UBCD and other utilities for a method of resetting the XP password but haven't found one yet.

help!

16 replies

by bdragomir

entire disk is read only that would mean that is NTFS? in this case a pasword reset utility like LINNT (nttoolbox.com) might work to reset adm passwd or you could (beside reinstall) boot with Linux copy SAM and run L0phtcrack against it (this is a time consuming solution). Try LINNT first...

by master3bs

I never could find linnt. I tried various CD boots of Linux, and mounted windows succesfully, but never got write access. I ended up reinstalling windows.

by gary56789

The following password reset tool usually works fine
http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/

by master3bs

I loved this utility, and mounted windows succesfully with it, but never got write access. On the upside, I'm going to find a flavor of Linux that is similar to this; especially the GUI. I ended up reinstalling windows.

by enrique corona

Hi.
in the ubcd there is a util. called Offline NT Password & Registry Editor, this had in the past worked for me, but in some ocasions you need to use this software and other located in Hiren's boot cd, wen the offline NT Pwd, fails to recover the passwd. use the hirens boot cd.

the Offline NT Password... in made with linux, and the other one in DOS. sorry i dont remember the name of the DOS one...

by master3bs

Unfortunately, nothting in the ubcd; including the NT pwd, could mount the system into a writable access. I ended up reinstalling windows

by jc2it

You could spend alot of time trying to fix a broken OS or spend a few minutes and reinstall it. Most PC's and Laptops today come with the OS license on the case, so as long as it is in place you can legally use anyone's CD's to do a reinstall, of the OS.

You will like this fix much better in the long run. Unless the purpose of doing this is just to practice/learn to use hacking tools. In that case I would try PHLAK. Not only does it have the tools you need to reset the password, but many more worth knowing about.

Get it Here:
http://www.phlak.org/modules/news/

Job Cacka

by jc2it

"Most of you probably know what happened next. Windows won't load at all. I've tried changing the files back using a DOS utility on the Ultimate boot cd, but the entire drive is read only."

This is because the NTFS is much different than FAT versions. Many utilities can read it, but few can modify it. Fewer still should modify it when sensitive data is at risk.

PHLAK live CD iso mirrors:
http://public.planetmirror.com/pub/phlak/phlak-0.3.iso
ftp://ftp.ussg.iu.edu/linux/phlak/phlak-0.3.iso
http://70.84.27.2/~gamers/phlak/phlak-0.3.iso
ftp://gd.tuwien.ac.at/opsys/linux/phlak/phlak-0.3.iso
http://mixfevers.com/hosted/phlak/phlak-0.3.iso
ftp://ftp.iasi.roedu.net/pub/mirrors/ftp.phlak.org/pub/phlak/0.3/phlak-0.3.iso

Using PHLAK, like I mentioned before I would make an image of the drive using the partimage utility, or if you have Symantec Ghost then create a ghost image of the drive. This way if you mess up you are at least covered. You might have to make a bootable CD or floppy for Ghost to work.

Once you have a backup image to restore, then you can try some tools to fix the boot problem. To do this read here:
http://www.ntfs.com/boot-sector-damaged.htm
Basically you want to boot from WINS CD-ROM into recovery console login and run FIXBOOT.

However, you said you were having trouble with logging in to the PC as administrator. In that case did you try the following.
Using a blank password for admin?
Asking former user what the admin password might be?
Asking former admin what the password should be?
Trying logical passwords? ex. mothers maiden name, address, birthdate, SS#, middle name, FRED, etc...

For general password cracking I like CAIN & ABEL from http://www.oxid.it You need something a little more specific. If you could it would be great to just reset the Administrator password with a bootdisk.

Here is a good read on methods to do this:
http://www.petri.co.il/forgot_administrator_password.htm

If you can retrieve the NT pass

by master3bs

In the end, reinstalling became my only option. I've got some rebuilding to do now, but the data is saved and the system boots properly.

by deacon blues

If you have another laptop that has a bay for a second drive you can access the data that way. We keep an old laptop with this functionality around just for that purpose.

by wlbowers

Do an inplace upgrade. It replaces the system files while maintaining the user installed software.

XP Q315341
http://tinyurl.com/2zgk

Lee

by master3bs

In the end, reinstalling became my only option. I've got some rebuilding to do now, but the data is saved and the system boots properly.

by master3bs

I'm still working on resolving this issue. I will always rate answers, but don't want to accept or reject anyone until I know for sure what the solution is here.

I am looking now into finding an adapter to put the notebook's hard drive into a desktop as a slave and do my work from there.

by master3bs

OK, apparently you can't leave individual comments without rejecting answers, and as I said I'm only going to reject or accept after the problem is fixed (and I'm still open to suggestions.)

bdragomir: nttoolbox.com now redirects to a new website that linnt is not available on and I can't find it elsewhere.

ctrservices: I will have to download that utitlity elsewhere; the link is blocked by our web filters.

Enrique Corona: This almost worked. I didn't know that you had to use left/right mouse buttons in the ubcd and hadn't found it. Unfortunately, the utility determined that the volume was dirty and opened in Read only mode.

Job Cacka: I've considered a reinstall, but there is sensitive data on it that I can't risk losing. I will have to download that utitlity elsewhere; the link is blocked by our web filters.

Deacon Blues: Excellent idea. If I can get the hard drive out I may explore it. According to documentation on the Pavilion ze4400 I should be able to remove screws and slide it out. I found out today the hard drive had been replaced, and there are no screws. I can't get it to budge.

It isn't like other pavilions that you can take the keyboard off and remove it that way. I tried, but the hard drive is inaccesible from that route. It is in fact underneath the mouse pad.

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