[Dracknem]

How do I find my Windows XP Admin Password? Because you see, I tried every password I ever use and none of them work. Because I think I have a corrupt file, the background is black and it looks kind of like Safe Mode, but with no way to get out of it and you can barely read through anything. It is very hard to explain, but I want to system restore, but I need an admin password.

I need help. I don't even think I could read through the user information because of the condition of the computer.

[tread70]

Did you make one during the install of XP? I usually dont so you may try leaving it blank and see if that will do it. There is a way of changins it in DOS but I would be able to remember to save my life. May try to search microsoft if you can for missing Administrator password.

Tread

[Dracknem]

I don't think I made one, and I did leave it blank in system restore and it just brought me back to DOS Console. Or maybe that's where I'm supposed to be. I hate DOS so much. :-P

[zachj]

Are you trying to do repair or restore? Repair is done in DOS, restore has a GUI. If you try to do a repair, you'll get a DOS prompt asking for a user name (admin) and password (blank if you didn't setting, which is what we're hoping, as you don't remember it). If you get to a DOS prompt from there, you entered the correct password. I think it says incorrect password if it's wrong. At the DOS prompt, you can type (I believe) /help to get a list of what functions are available.

If you're trying to do a restore, I didn't know that you needed one to do a restore. If you do and leaving it blank doesn't cut it, I don't know what to tell you beyond a reinstallation (lose all data).

When you boot from the XP CD and it finishes booting, it says "Press Enter to Install Windows XP" or "Press R to enter Recovery Console" (repair). To restore, you hit enter, it searches for existing installations, then it will locate your current installation. It will then ask if you want to restore that installation or do a clean installation. If you, instead, hit R, you enter Recovery Console (repair) and that's what's DOS. I don't think you can do anything in recovery console unless you know what specific file is causing your dillema so you can copy a new version off the CD.

If you already knew this and I'm wasting your time, I'm sorry, but I can't really tell what you're trying to do.

Z

[zachj]

By the way, the last restore I did, I lost all my data on that partition. I didn't think I was supposed to, but I did. Luckily I didn't care about it. So if you're trying to do this so you won't lose your data, I don't really know it's gonna' work out unless, like I said, you know what specific file is causing the problem.

Does the problem occur in Safe Mode as well? If not, enter safe mode and try a blank password. If it works, then see if you can find out what's wrong.

Z

[pik4chu]

there is a small bootable prog that can change passwords on NTFS.. some debian thing (will check for name or if anyone else knows it?) also, the recovery console will require the admin password. second, restore will overwrite everything on the disk with the backe dup data. third, if you choose on the bootup menu of the XP disk. R for repair install, then "Repair current OS rather than the console, it should fix the corrupted file w/o losing anything on the drive. since all it does is re copy all the core OS files from the cd to the disk. hop ethis all helps

[mbentley]

Originally posted by pik4chu
third, if you choose on the bootup menu of the XP disk. R for repair install, then "Repair current OS rather than the console, it should fix the corrupted file w/o losing anything on the drive. since all it does is re copy all the core OS files from the cd to the disk. hop ethis all helps

i think that would probably be the best route to follow... i think it would have the best chance for success... i can't remember if it allows you to set a password or remove it or anything like that, but i know that it will leave your system intact, but you will have to do all the windows updates again...

[Dracknem]

I don't believe I had an option for "Repair current OS rather than console". Any help with this?

Wait, pik4chu, could you explain what you mean in more depth? What boot up menu are you talking about? Sorry about all the trouble and thanks for thehelp.

[mbentley]

Originally posted by Dracknem
I don't believe I had an option for "Repair current OS rather than console". Any help with this?

Wait, pik4chu, could you explain what you mean in more depth? What boot up menu are you talking about? Sorry about all the trouble and thanks for thehelp.

have you ever installed windows xp before with a fresh install? just pretend that you are doing the same thing and select the partition that has your current windows xp installation. it will ask you if you want to delete it or reinstall over it. you will want to reinstall over it (or upgrade, i can't remember). whatever you do, you do not want the repair console...

[nan0_man]

I had this issue and founf that its something to do with the password resetting if you dont change it after installation. I tried everything and ended up re-installing and leaving 'password' empty.
just my 0.02

[Dracknem]

Ok, I got the password, but a repair installation didn't fix my weird-resolution black-screen problem.

[pik4chu]

Originally posted by Dracknem
Ok, I got the password, but a repair installation didn't fix my weird-resolution black-screen problem.

well when did the problem start? after updates? new hardware? crash during a program? during a game? playing a video? downloading a file? just sitting there? running Seti/Folding? depending on what last happened before it stopped working can tell you what might have caused it.. could be bad vid drivers in windoze. try "Last known good" configuration from the advanced boot options (hold F8 during boot up until a menu appears).

And also, when does the black-screen wierd res stuff happen? during the XP lsplash screen? at login prompt? just before splash screen? that wil help determine what level file corruption it is. (whether basic add-on driver/file or core driver files)

[MrMarbles]

hahaha I just found out you can change your admin pass if you start up in safe mode
you can change all account types too
makes you wonder what the point to all those passwords is