Can't log onto Windows 2000 Professional

[sarahgm]

Our office owns a Dell with Windows 2000 Professional.  It was used by our GIS specialist until he left for another job.  It has sat unused for several months, but I needed to get some data off it recently.  When I tried to log onto the computer with the typical username and password, it won't let me in.  It says "The system could not log you on.  Make sure you user name domain are correct then type your password again...."  The name and password are correct.  I've even tried the adminstrator name and password.  Nothing will work.  I've tried downloading the ISO file other sites have recommended, but I can't get that to work either.  Any help you could give me with bypassing or hacking into this computer would be great.  We now have a machine worth hundreds of dollars just sitting in our office being worthless to us!

Sarah

[RX]

Hi,

Try to Run the Pc in safe Mode, And change the user and password settings from there.

[jim]

Or..if there is no username & password now it would do this. When prompted to enter a name/pw...just hit ok & see if it'll log on that way.

[sarahgm]

I tried both options.  It still asks for a username and password when trying to enter via safe mode.  And it still says the system can not log me on if I don't enter anything.  Any other ideas?

Sarah

[patio]

It sounds like it is still expecting to be part of the Domain...contact the IT Admin and he/she should be able to provide a system password that will give you access.

[sarahgm]

Sorry if I sound incredibly stupid, but what is the IT Admin?  Is that Microsoft?  If so, I think they charge for tech services.  Any way around that?

Thanks
Sarah

[patio]

No. I should have been more specific. This would be the person at work who set up/runs the computer equipment there...

[sarahgm]

We are a staff of 3 and I am currently the most educated and versed in our computer technology.  The computer in question belonged to our GIS specialist who has since left.  I have already contacted him to brainstorm how to get into the computer, but neither of us have come up with anything else that works. 

Any other ideas?  =(

[patio]

Travel Here...

Let us know how it goes.

[Frankie0566]

I was looking for info on how to log on to Windows 2000 (Win2K) with a lost/forgotten password and read there is a way by installing another instance of Win2K, then when you reboot it will ask which of the two Win2K you want to use. You must pick the new one and log on as Administrator then from there you can access any files on the PC from The C Drive, Documents & Settings folder.

The only thing I don't know is how would I take off the othe instance of Windows after I'm done getting the files I need unless I do a clean install of Windows and get rid of both the current Windows, Format the drive and start fresh.

Hope it helps