My daughter changed the password on my dell laptop. Now I cant get in to the
computer. How can I remove this password. She has changed the admin
password.

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You can build a bootable disk with the following to remove or
null out any user account password:
http://home.eunet.no/pnordahl/ntpasswd/

"Doug" <doug57@www.com> wrote in message
news:edpP0rZ6IHA.3696@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> My daughter changed the password on my dell laptop. Now I cant get in to
> the computer. How can I remove this password. She has changed the admin
> password.
>
> --
> ----------------------------------------------------
> This mailbox protected from unsolicited email by Spam Alarm
> from Dignity Software http://www.dignitysoftware.com
>

Doug wrote:

> My daughter changed the password on my dell laptop. Now I cant get in to
> the computer. How can I remove this password. She has changed the admin
> password.
>

If you mean the Windows password(s), use NTpasswd to change the built-in
Administrator's account to a blank. Then log onto that account (in Safe
Mode if XP Home, Regular Mode if Pro) and make your changes in the User
Accounts applet. Then deal with the personal problem of what your daughter
did non-technically.

http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/

You will download the .iso and burn it to CD-R as an image, not as data.

If you mean a BIOS password required directly after you turn the computer on
and before Windows is even booted, you will need to call Dell.

Malke
--
MS-MVP
Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!
FAQ - http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ

"Doug" <doug57@www.com> wrote in message
news:edpP0rZ6IHA.3696@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> My daughter changed the password on my dell laptop. Now I cant get in to
> the computer. How can I remove this password. She has changed the admin
> password.
>
> --
> ----------------------------------------------------
> This mailbox protected from unsolicited email by Spam Alarm
> from Dignity Software http://www.dignitysoftware.com

After resolving this annoying probblem with the boot disk
suggested by R. McCarty, start planning ahead. How many
sets of keys do you have for your car? More than one? Why?
How many admin accounts do you have for Windows. Just
the one? Why?

Got it........ Thanks to all......

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"Doug" <doug57@www.com> wrote in message
news:edpP0rZ6IHA.3696@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> My daughter changed the password on my dell laptop. Now I cant get in to
> the computer. How can I remove this password. She has changed the admin
> password.
>
> --
> ----------------------------------------------------
> This mailbox protected from unsolicited email by Spam Alarm
> from Dignity Software http://www.dignitysoftware.com
>

"Doug" <doug57@www.com> wrote in message
news:edpP0rZ6IHA.3696@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> My daughter changed the password on my dell laptop. Now I cant get in to
> the computer. How can I remove this password. She has changed the admin
> password.
>
> --
> ----------------------------------------------------
> This mailbox protected from unsolicited email by Spam Alarm
> from Dignity Software http://www.dignitysoftware.com


Doug:
As you have heard the (free) program offered at
http://home.eunet.no/pnordahl/ntpasswd/ is a tried & true program that
generally (but not always) will resolve the problem you've raised. It's
basically designed to remove the current password from the system so that
it's a "blank password" and thus the user can gain access to the system as
administrator.

Many users, especially inexperienced ones, sometimes find difficulty in
using this program since the prompts are rather cryptic and confusing to
some as it contains info that seems intimidating to some. Actually the
program is rather easy to use since by & large all the user need do in most
instances is simply press the Enter key at most of the prompts as described
below.

We prepared these step-by-step instructions for using the program in
response to a request from a local computer club in our area. I trust it
will resolve your problem.

Access the following website: http://home.eunet.no/pnordahl/ntpasswd/ and
download the freely available program that will allow you to create a
bootable CD that with which you will be able to reset your password.

Here are some step-by-step instructions for using this program...

1. On the top of the webpage click on the "Bootdisk" button.
2. In the "Download" section of that page click on the cd070927.zip file and
download it to your Desktop. Note it's a ZIP file so the contents of that
file will have to be extracted.
3. I assume you know how to do this by merely right-clicking on the ZIP
file, click on Extract All, Next, Next, Finish.
4. A folder will be created on your Desktop titled "cd070927".
5. Inside that folder will be the cd070927.iso file. It's this .iso file
that allows you to create a bootable CD from that .iso image.
6. Hopefully, you have a CD-burning program, e.g., Nero, Roxio, etc., that
allows you to merely double-click on the .iso file and the program will open
and create a bootable CD from that .iso image. If you don't have such a
program perhaps you have a friend or acquaintance who does and he or she
can help you with creating the bootable CD. There are other programs
available on the net that allow you to do this as well - one popular program
is the freely-available ISO Recorder program - see
http://isorecorder.alexfeinman.com/isorecorder.htm

Now that you've created the bootable CD that's designed to reset your
password, insert the CD in your optical drive and boot to it.

The following are step-by-step instructions for using the program. The
example involved is a single-partitioned HDD, but the basic steps are the
same for any size HDD, except where the drive is multi-partitioned. If the
latter is the case the steps will be slightly different but they will not be
unduly complicated or substantially different under those circumstances.

As you progress through the screens the information provided and steps
involved look more complicated than they really are. In virtually every step
during the process the user will simply be pressing the Enter key
or some other simple keystroke.

1. Hopefully your PC is set up so that it will boot to a bootable CD. If
it's not, change the motherboard's BIOS boot priority setting so that the
CD-ROM is first in boot priority.

2. Boot to the password reset CD. At the first screen you will see the
"boot:" prompt.
Press Enter.

3. The next prompt ("Step ONE") will be "Select: [1]".
Press Enter.

4. The next prompt ("Step TWO") will be "What is the path to the registry
directory? (relative to windows disk)
[WINDOWS/system32/config]:".
Once again, press Enter.

5. The next prompt will follow text "Select which part of registry to load,
use ..." and list three options. The default prompt will reflect the first
option ("Password reset ..."), indicating "[1]".
Again, press Enter.

6. The next prompt at "Step THREE" will indicate "What to do? [1]".
Again, press Enter.

7. A bunch of information will follow with the final line displaying the
prompt, "or simply enter the username to change [Administrator]".
Type your user name, e.g., DEBBIE, and press Enter. Ensure you've
correctly entered your user name in the proper case (uppercase or
lowercase as you have originally set it).

8. More information will follow ending with the following prompt...
"Please enter new password:".
Type an * (asterisk or star) and press Enter.

9. The next prompt will be...
"Do you really wish to change it? (y/n) [n]".
Type y and press Enter.
(You'll receive the confirmation "Changed!")

10. The last line of the following prompt will read...
"or simply enter the username to change [Administrator]".
Type ! (exclamation point) and press Enter.

11. The last line of the next prompt will read...
"What to do? [1]" .
Type q and press Enter.

12. The next prompt ("Step FOUR") will read...
"About to write file(s) back! Do it? [n]".
Type y and press Enter.

13. At this point you should get the "EDIT COMPLETE" message with the
following prompt...
"You can try again if it somehow failed, or you selected wrong New run? [n]"
Just press Enter.

14. The final prompt will be a "#" signaling that the program has finished
its work. Remove the CD from your optical drive and reboot.

Hopefully your Administrator's password has been reset to a blank password
and you should gain access to your system.
Anna

On Sat, 19 Jul 2008 07:28:30 -0500, "Doug" <doug57@www.com> wrote:

>My daughter changed the password on my dell laptop. Now I cant get in to the
>computer. How can I remove this password. She has changed the admin
>password.

I've used this procedure on SP2 and SP3 with success



I Forgot My Administrator Password!
by Vic Ferri

Skill rating level 4.

Can't Log On to Windows XP?

If that’s your only problem, then you probably have nothing to worry
about. As long as you have your Windows XP CD, you can get back into
your system using a simple but effective method made possible by a
little known access hole in Windows XP.

This method is easy enough for newbies to follow – it doesn’t require
using the Recovery Console or any complicated commands. And it’s free
- I mention that because you can pay two hundred dollars for an
emergency download of Winternals ERD with Locksmith which is a utility
for unlocking lost Windows passwords. See here
http://www.winternals.com/products/r.../locksmith.asp

ERD is an excellent multi purpose product, but you should know it is
not a necessary one if you have a healthy system and your sole problem
is the inability to logon to Windows due to a forgotten password. Not
necessary because you can easily change or wipe out your Administrator
password for free during a Windows XP Repair. Here’s how with a
step-by-step description of the initial Repair process included for
newbie’s.

1. Place your Windows XP CD in your cd-rom and start your computer
(it’s assumed here that your XP CD is bootable – as it should be - and
that you have your bios set to boot from CD)

2. Keep your eye on the screen messages for booting to your cd
Typically, it will be “Press any key to boot from cd”

3. Once you get in, the first screen will indicate that Setup is
inspecting your system and loading files.

4. When you get to the Welcome to Setup screen, press ENTER to
Setup Windows now

5. The Licensing Agreement comes next - Press F8 to accept it.

6. The next screen is the Setup screen which gives you the option
to do a Repair.

It should read something like “If one of the following Windows XP
installations is damaged, Setup can try to repair it”

Use the up and down arrow keys to select your XP installation (if
you only have one, it should already be selected) and press R to begin
the Repair process.

7. Let the Repair run. Setup will now check your disks and then
start copying files which can take several minutes.

8. Shortly after the Copying Files stage, you will be required to
reboot. (this will happen automatically – you will see a progress bar
stating “Your computer will reboot in 15 seconds”

9. During the reboot, do not make the mistake of “pressing any
key” to boot from the CD again! Setup will resume automatically with
the standard billboard screens and you will notice Installing Windows
is highlighted.

10. Keep your eye on the lower left hand side of the screen and
when you see the Installing Devices progress bar, press SHIFT + F10.
This is the security hole! A command console will now open up giving
you the potential for wide access to your system.

11. At the prompt, type NUSRMGR.CPL and press Enter. Voila! You
have just gained graphical access to your User Accounts in the Control
Panel.

12. Now simply pick the account you need to change and remove or
change your password as you prefer. If you want to log on without
having to enter your new password, you can type control userpasswords2
at the prompt and choose to log on without being asked for password.
After you’ve made your changes close the windows, exit the command box
and continue on with the Repair (have your Product key handy).

13. Once the Repair is done, you will be able to log on with your
new password (or without a password if you chose not to use one or if
you chose not to be asked for a password). Your programs and
personalized settings should remain intact.

I tested the above on Windows XP Pro with and without SP1 and also
used this method in a real situation where someone could not remember
their password and it worked like a charm to fix the problem. This
security hole allows access to more than just user accounts. You can
also access the Registry and Policy Editor, for example. And its gui
access with mouse control. Of course, a Product Key will be needed to
continue with the Repair after making the changes, but for anyone
intent on gaining access to your system, this would be no problem.

And in case you are wondering, NO, you cannot cancel install after
making the changes and expect to logon with your new password.

Cancelling will just result in Setup resuming at bootup and your
changes will be lost.

Ok, now that your logon problem is fixed, you should make a point to
prevent it from ever happening again by creating a Password Reset
Disk. This is a floppy disk you can use in the event you ever forget
your log on password. It allows you to set a new password.

Here's how to create one if your computer is NOT on a domain:

* Go to the Control Panel and open up User Accounts.
* Choose your account (under Pick An Account to Change) and under
Related Tasks, click "Prevent a forgotten password".
* This will initiate a wizard.
* Click Next and then insert a blank formatted floppy disk into
your A: drive.
* Click Next and enter your logon password in the password box.
* Click Next to begin the creation of your Password disk.
* Once completed, label and save the disk to a safe place

How to Log on to your PC Using Your Password Reset Disk

Start your computer and at the logon screen, click your user name and
leave the password box blank or just type in anything. This will bring
up a Logon Failure box and you will then see the option to use your
Password Reset disk to create a new password. Click it which will
initiate the Password Reset wizard. Insert your password reset disk
into your floppy drive and follow the wizard which will let you choose
a new password to use for your account.

Note: If your computer is part of a domain, the procedure for creating
a password disk is different.

See here for step by step instructions:
http://support.microsoft.com/default...;en-us;306214&

On Sat, 19 Jul 2008 07:28:30 -0500, "Doug" <doug57@www.com> wrote:

>My daughter changed the password on my dell laptop. Now I cant get in to the
>computer. How can I remove this password. She has changed the admin
>password.

I hope she gets some serious "consequences" for this little <not
laughing> matter.


--
I never worry about diets. The only carrots that interest me are the number of carats in a diamond.

Mae West

On Sat, 19 Jul 2008 07:28:30 -0500, "Doug" <doug57@www.com> wrote:

>My daughter changed the password on my dell laptop. Now I cant get in to the
>computer. How can I remove this password. She has changed the admin
>password.

I suggest you ACT like her FATHER and make her tell you the new
password. It's called being a parent. Try it sometime.

<snip>
> . . you can easily change or wipe out your Administrator
> password for free during a Windows XP Repair. Here's how with a
> step-by-step description of the initial Repair process included for
> newbie's.

Perhaps I use a different yardstick but to me a 13-step procedure
does not exactly qualify as "easy". The Nordahl boot disk would be
a lot simpler to use and the user is guided by on-screen instructions.

> Ok, now that your logon problem is fixed, you should make a point to
> prevent it from ever happening again by creating a Password Reset
> Disk. This is a floppy disk you can use in the event you ever forget
> your log on password. It allows you to set a new password.
>
> See here for step by step instructions:
> http://support.microsoft.com/default...;en-us;306214&

I wonder what the boys at Microsoft were thinking when they issued
this KB article. If you have the foresight to create a password resetting
diskette then you might as well write the password itself on this diskette.
It would be faster, simpler and just as effective and it would remain
readable a lot longer than the diskette (unless the silverfish ate the
label!).