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Author Topic: XP Recovery HELP!  (Read 3291 times)

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EdmOil5

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    XP Recovery HELP!
    « on: May 04, 2009, 11:42:36 AM »
    Hello,

    I am running XP Home Edition.  My PC has crashed and I can only navigate in DOS.  When I turn the computer on I am directed to system recovery where I have 3 choices, the 3rd being C:Windows.  I've chosen that path and am asked what my administrator password is, unfortunately for me I have forgotten it and have tried every password that I can think of,lol.  And to make things worse I have lost my system recovery CD.  Is there any way to trick the computer using .dos commands to find my password or to recover my computer?  Any help to these questions is much appreciated.

    macdad-



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      Re: XP Recovery HELP!
      « Reply #1 on: May 04, 2009, 11:52:02 AM »
      Do you have your XP Installation CD?
      If you dont know DOS, you dont know Windows...

      Thats why Bill Gates created the Windows NT Family.

      patio

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      Re: XP Recovery HELP!
      « Reply #2 on: May 04, 2009, 12:01:10 PM »
      Try booting into safe mode and use the Admin controls in Control Panel to reset the password.
      If this does not produce any joy-joy i'm afraid you are going to need to acquire an XP CD of the same version and do a Repair Install...
      How did you lose your Admin password ? ?
      " Anyone who goes to a psychiatrist should have his head examined. "

      EdmOil5

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        Re: XP Recovery HELP!
        « Reply #3 on: May 04, 2009, 12:04:18 PM »
        My PC didn't come with a recovery CD, I made one years ago but can't find it.  I haven't lost my password, rather can't remember it or the system has rebooted to its original, if thats possible.

        boffy1970



          Rookie

          Re: XP Recovery HELP!
          « Reply #4 on: May 04, 2009, 12:09:25 PM »
          if you in dos screen the password default is just press (enter)dont put anything

          or try borrowing a version of windows and doing a rewpair not install....

          EdmOil5

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            Re: XP Recovery HELP!
            « Reply #5 on: May 04, 2009, 12:13:47 PM »
            I've tried hitting "enter" as the default password, it comes up as invalid password.  And yes, I think my only hope is to find another copy of windows.

            macdad-



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              Re: XP Recovery HELP!
              « Reply #6 on: May 04, 2009, 12:20:23 PM »
              if you in dos screen the password default is just press (enter)dont put anything

              or try borrowing a version of windows and doing a rewpair not install....


              Enter won't do anything, and a different copy of Windows won't work.
              If you dont know DOS, you dont know Windows...

              Thats why Bill Gates created the Windows NT Family.

              patio

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              Re: XP Recovery HELP!
              « Reply #7 on: May 04, 2009, 12:22:52 PM »
              Quote
              I haven't lost my password, rather can't remember it

              This is a contradiction...also the basis of your dilemna.
              How do you go about losing an Admin password ? ?
              " Anyone who goes to a psychiatrist should have his head examined. "

              macdad-



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                Re: XP Recovery HELP!
                « Reply #8 on: May 04, 2009, 12:24:48 PM »
                He could try a Emergency Boot if he has another computer with Win XP on it.
                If you dont know DOS, you dont know Windows...

                Thats why Bill Gates created the Windows NT Family.

                devcom



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                  Re: XP Recovery HELP!
                  « Reply #9 on: May 04, 2009, 12:27:25 PM »
                  you can try this:

                  at logon press ctrl+alt+del twice, there should pop up a message to enter username and password, type administrator as username and leave password blank, press enter ;)

                  or boot into safe mode and use master admin account (but i think in first suggestion its using that account)
                  Download: Choice.exe

                  boffy1970



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                    Re: XP Recovery HELP!
                    « Reply #10 on: May 04, 2009, 01:03:02 PM »
                    as i stated a oem windows disc and correct setup in bios i.e the first boot priorty is cd-rom then this will overwrite any windows as it will format your drive but has to be oem version and have your boot in bios set up for cd-rom first then hdd etc....get to bios press delete on start...

                    EdmOil5

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                      Re: XP Recovery HELP!
                      « Reply #11 on: May 04, 2009, 02:06:58 PM »
                      Control-Alt-Delete restarts my PC.  I am directed to a screen  that says; Microsoft Windows XP Recovery Console with three options;  1: D:\MiniNT   2: D:\I386   3: C:\Windows.  I type 3, then it asks for the Administrator Password, which might be something I used 5 years ago for security reasons but don't use anymore.  I've tried all passwords which I thought it might be, no luck.  Pressing enter just says "Invalid". 

                      macdad-



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                        Re: XP Recovery HELP!
                        « Reply #12 on: May 04, 2009, 05:41:00 PM »
                        Do you have another computer with a CD burner or atleast it has Win XP on it?
                        If you dont know DOS, you dont know Windows...

                        Thats why Bill Gates created the Windows NT Family.