Computer Hope
Microsoft => Microsoft Windows => Windows XP => Topic started by: Skitz on December 16, 2008, 10:47:09 PM
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My school recently decided to set up a student I.T team. Well, I'm the only one on the team as no one else knows enough about corporate networks.
Anyway, the admin forgot the admin password for 2 computers. I tried to boot an Ophcrack cd, but pressing F12, F2 or DEL when the system boots does nothing, therefore I cannot boot from a cd or usb.
F8 for safe mode also doesn't work. I guess the department of education disabled all that? or maybe it's just the computer. Don't know the model number but they are Lenovo's.
So I need to boot from a disc. so does anyone have any ideas of how I can boot from it without using F2, F12 or safe mode?
And, if not, can anyone suggest a different way of getting the admin pass?
Note: if you have an idea, if applicable, pm it to me so no noobs or skiddies get any ideas.
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This is a new one. It's usually my kid changed the password or I bought a used computer witha password and cant ask the original owner what it is.
I'm not calling you a liar skitz but your signature...
Anyway, this password will be easy to disable. Just Google it.
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Yer, fair enough. I did use google though, all the solutions i could find required a boot from a disk, and all those methods I already know about, that's why I came on here for help.
And also, my signature, I don't mess around in my own pond if you know what I mean. I'm not going to ruin my education because I did something stupid. My signature refers more towards ethical hacking and computer security and tinkering with computers, but it can be seen from both sides I guess.
Anyway, I guess I'm out of luck. The teacher called the education I.T guys but they have no idea, they fail.
I just wanted a quick solution because school ends soon, ive got 2 days to do this, otherwise I'll have to do it next year.
If it helps you understand what kind of person I am, the guy told me the admin passwords because he trusts me with them. It's just those 2 computers that have different passes, maybe someone changed them on him.
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Expecting us to trust you by telling us that some guy we don't know trust with passwords is like me telling you I have a tower in Paris that I want to sale you.
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Who cares what he does with the information? If he's planning a crime he sure as h**l wouldn't post it on a public forum for everyone to see and record.
Him being stupid silly enough to mention in what kind of situation he is in is only a testimony to him telling the truth. Either that or he's a really manipulative fella and this is exactly what he planned. Such cunning and devious planning! You have my full admiration, sir.
So, you forgot the password to the operating system, Windows, right? There is no password on the BIOS, correct?
What brand of motherboard is used and what version of Windows?
PS: Why censor H-e-l-l? I guess someone isn't comfortable with knowing he'll end up there!
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heh, finally someone understands. I'll find out tomorrow what the motherboard is, the tech guy might be able to get me some class time off to do it.
I think there is a pass on the bios, but pressing DEL at startup won't bring up the bios. Either way, I can just pull the battery and reset the bios that way.
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Won't know what keys to press until we know the motherboard, BIOS or brand name.
You can try keys from this list, though;
How to enter the BIOS or CMOS setup. (http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000192.htm)
There used to be a really good program for editing passwords on computerhope.com but the link to it is dead -unfortunately-.
Maybe it's just down, try it again later; http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/ (http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/) or google for "NT offline password editor" ... At your own risk, some websites seem dodgy.
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oh yeah, I remember Nt Offline Password Editor. I used it a while back, but don't have a copy currently :(
I just emailed the techie and he said he's not sure what brand they are. When I check tomorrow, I'll go to the library and do some quick reseach. If I fail, then I guess I'll be back on here and letting you guys know how I got on.
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Alright. Just don't do anything I wouldn't do and say no to drugs.
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Who cares what he does with the information? If he's planning a crime he sure as h**l wouldn't post it on a public forum for everyone to see and record.
Either that or he's a really manipulative fella and this is exactly what he planned. Such cunning and devious planning!
As for commiting crimes and what not, I'm not going to. I know the passwords to everything at school, so if I wanted to be a skiddie i could just login to a switch and close port 8080 (which the web proxy is running on) and then the school wouldn't have net connection for a few hours, but thats stupid, wastes peoples time and stops people from learning.
My social engineering skills are alright, but this is a genuine case and the only time I'd use SE is when I'm in need, like a life threatening situation for example, not for personal gain or to trick people.
//Skitz
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Skitz and Raptor,
It isn't a matter of what will be done with the information. It is more a matter of the forum rules. This site will only offer limited help for users who have forgotten their passwords. There are multiple request where people swear their case is genuine and they aren't trying to do anything wrong.
Here is a link to the forum rules.
http://www.computerhope.com/forum/index.php/topic,58736.0.html
Below was taken from the forum rules.
Bypassing protection
* If you need or lost your CD-KEY or other authentication key for a software program or game you’ll need to contact the developer of that program. We will not provide you or link you to where you can find a new one.
* Bypassing any type of password protection in place by parents, schools, or other family members. We will provide limited assistance for users who've forgotten their Windows password. Before posting you may want to review the suggestions on document CH000172.
* Filters on school computers and in the workplace are there for a reason. If they don't want you to do certain things on their network, it is your obligation to respect that. We do not assist in bypassing these filters. If you feel that you have a good reason, you need to discuss it with the network's administrator.
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Filters on school computers and in the workplace are there for a reason. If they don't want you to do certain things on their network, it is your obligation to respect that. We do not assist in bypassing these filters. If you feel that you have a good reason, you need to discuss it with the network's administrator.
I have discussed it with the administrator, he is asking me for help...
* Bypassing any type of password protection in place by parents, schools, or other family members. We will provide limited assistance for users who've forgotten their Windows password. Before posting you may want to review the suggestions on document CH000172.
I don't want to be told how to get admin password, I don't want to know that, I already know. I want to know how to boot from a CD...
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And, if not, can anyone suggest a different way of getting the admin pass?
You maybe asking how to boot from a cd but you are wanting that information in order to bypass a password and the above quote from your original post is also asking for ways around the admin password.
You can say that the administrator is asking you for help and that they trust you as much as you want but with out the good folks on the forums being able to verify what you are doing I don't see a lot of help forthcoming as I see this falling into the other pile of "Oh help I forgot my password" post.
I maybe wrong about the whole thing and a moderator may step in and give you the info you are asking for but I would be surprised if that happens.
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Well, the admin was a bit bummed about it. Only way I can think of to prove it is to get the admin to call you or get you to call the admin. You can talk to him and he can fill you in. I'll ask if he is happy to supply his number and I'll pm it to you, or you can pm me your number and I'll give it to him.
This is getting ridiculous. I understand that you have to take precautions but now I only have the next 24 hours to find out...
I mean, I actually do good for my school, I don't be stupid and reck it for others and yet this happens. Maybe then if I cant help I should be stupid then ay?
It's much easier to reck things then fix them, expecially when people with more knowledge than myself are unwilling to share information because I might go and 'hack' the school. lol but thats the way it is
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It isn't a matter of what will be done with the information. It is more a matter of the forum rules. This site will only offer limited help for users who have forgotten their passwords. There are multiple request where people swear their case is genuine and they aren't trying to do anything wrong.
Since I recommended a program that is IN the Computerhope database how can any rules be broken? There's a whole article about circumventing Windows security regarding passwords and it can't be discussed with someone who made a seemingly legitimate request? Is that what you're trying to say?
Anyhow, Skitz, did you read the article about accessing different types of BIOS'?
You'll have to find another tool to remove the password. Try BartPE's boot disk, I believe that comes with a tool that'll do the same as the NT offline password editor.
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BartPE wouldn't have worked anyway. Because we couldn't boot from any device other than the HD. I put in the CD, booted the computer and entered the boot menu. Then I hit enter on boot from CD/DVD and nothing happened, the system started up as normal.
But, i booted into the Lenovo recovery wizard, which could be booted from the HDD. then from there, i was able to boot from CD, which had Ophcrack on it. It cracked the pass in about 5 mins.
So thank you Raptor, as for everyone else...
I have now got the network of 5 computers, connected to a 16 port switch running, with a file server too. Soon it will be attached to the main network which consists of about 100 computers.
So for being 15 years old, with no practical experience (other than my network at home which has 10 computers), I think i've done alright. Didn't learn anything but it was an experience.
So all is well. without those two other computers, there would have not been much point connecting just 3 computers to the network.
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I had good intentions all long... I was telling the truth, yet no one belived me (except Raptor). So I guess I'll lie next time when something like this comes up I'll have to lie?, so then people don't think I'm going to do anything bad with the information and will just tell me without me trying to con the information.
I should have called this thread "can't boot from CD" instead, would have saved me the trouble, well atleast i sorted it out before it was too late.
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For future reference; how did you access that Lenovo recovery wizard?
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We have like 100 of these computers in the school, but these five were strange, they just wouldn't boot off another device.
I pressed Enter repeatedly (to interrupt normal startup). then it gave me a list. It went something like this:
1. boot from device
2. run diagnostics
3. repair system
Boot from device didn't work, so I selected the diagnostic option (I cant remember the exact name of the option though, it was something more like 2. enter lenovo diagnostics and settings or something along those lines.
So once selecting the diagnostic, it booted up and entered the lenovo diagnostic thing. You could reset the admin password, but you needed to answer 3 security questions. Unfortunately we were unable to contact the admin who left out school, we couldn't reset it. So in the lenovo diagnostics, you can choose to boot from a device, then it asks to restart and you click yes. It will then allow you to boot from a device. I don't understand why you can't just use F12 at startup, those computers were weird. Yet there are many others in the school that allow you to boot using F12.
So I booted up from a CD which had Ophcrack on it. First off I entered the graphical mode, but it lagged, so I rebooted into the CLI mode and it cracked it in about 5 minutes.
Haha, then I had people asking me for a copy of the CD, I'm like "Nope"... then they are like, where can i donload it? - "I'm not telling" ;p
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Ah, thanks. Might come in handy. Well, good job and see you around.