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Thread: XP Admin Password ( + Packard Bell Complaint)

  1. #1
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    XP Admin Password ( + Packard Bell Complaint)

    O.K Guys.

    I have a problem here.

    I bought a P.C from packard bell (Knackard Hell more like.)

    Running Windows XP Home

    It has a problem with the NTFS but when I tried to boot into recovery mode it asks me for the administrator password.

    After some 30 minutes on the phone to packard bell support team (flow chart readers) then speaking to the guys there who actually install the software (pretty clever) then the engineering manager I still haven't been able to get the administrator password.

    Its not that they are unwilling to supply it they just don't know it.

    (they supplied me with a list of about 50 other passwords for there machines if anyone else is having any other PB issues.)

    Is there any way in which short of re-installing I can boot the machine into recovery mode or any way of removing the administrator password from the machine.

    Any help here would be greatly appreciated.

  2. #2
    Senior Member
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    Mark,

    I can't believe the Packard Bell support team, the guy who installed the sofware, the engineering manager, etc., after selling you a close to U$S 1.000 dollars computer (i suppose), can't solve this problem. It's mandatory for them to "fix" this. You should "bother" them until they give you a solution.

    You don't want to start messing with your new computer, changing the registry or whatever you must do to find or erase the password right?

    Good luck,

    DKRR

  3. #3
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    Thats True

    Darkraider,

    I laughed at there solution to my problem which was to use there emergency boot disk.

    It formats the hard disk and re-installs the software from a hidden hdd partition.

    Not much use when I have 65+gigs of unbacked up data on my p.c which I don't want to lose.

  4. #4
    Junior Member
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    I've seen a similar issue with recovery cd's. When trying to boot up and use the recovery console it tries to use the Admin password on the installed OS. If the partition is corrupted, no password you try will work.

    If the system will boot up you may be able to run a Linux based password changer on the system. There is one called NT Tools that works on XP. I don't have the link handy, but you would have to download and burn an iso to use it (won't fit on a floppy).

    You may try proceeding a little further into the XP Setup to the point where it shows the partitions on the hdd. It should say NTFS. If it says UNKNOWN the partition is hosed. There is an NTFS bug in pre-SP1 of WinXP. The article number is Q315403. They released a patch to fix NTFS.sys running on ide hdds. The bug can cause it to intermittently crash the OS and display Unmountable Boot Volume on a bsod.

    Regards

  5. #5
    AO Security for Non-Geeks tonybradley's Avatar
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    You can boot using a Windows 2000 installation CD and go into recovery mode. Here is the pertinent info from an article I wrote:

    The flaw works by booting a Windows XP system using a Windows 2000 CD and going into the Windows 2000 Recovery Console mode. When done on a Windows 2000 system, a password is required to access the hard drive and manipulate the files. In this mode copying files to removable media is restricted as well.

    Under Windows XP, this technique grants the user unrestricted access to the computer. The user can access any of the files and folders on the local system and copy them to the floppy drive or other removable media. It does not matter what user account “owns” the files and folders or if they are password protected.

    Full Article
    Going into the system this way may let you modify or fix whatever you need to fix to make it functional again. I do agree though that you shouldn't HAVE to jump thorugh hoops or hack your own system if you just bought it. The vendor has a responsibility to give you an operational device for your money.

  6. #6
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    This probably isn't the answer, but might be. . .first time I had to use the recovery console for XP home I got the same thing, asking for admin password. . .I figured it would have been the account I set up to be Admin, but it turns out, it was nothing. . .I just had to hit enter and BAM, I was in.
    Every now and then, one of you won't annoy me.

  7. #7
    Senior Member Zonewalker's Avatar
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    Mark... bludgeon does have a point here... XP has a 'hidden' admin account (can only be access either in safe mode or from recovery console) that has a blank password by default. Have you tried just pressing enter?? I don't know if HP (or even yourself) might have changed the password but if you haven't already tried it it's worth a go.

    Otherwise I'd go with Tonybradleys suggestion

    Z
    Quis Custodiet Ipsos Custodes

  8. #8
    Macht Nicht Aus moxnix's Avatar
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    Bludgeon and Zonewalker have an excellent suggestion. Having just bought a new system with XPHome, I ran into the same 'hidden admin account', and by accidentn found out that a simple 'enter' on a blank password field worked wonders.
    \"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, Champagne in one hand - strawberries in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming WOO HOO - What a Ride!\"
    Author Unknown

  9. #9
    Old Fart
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    Take a look here and see if this might help.

    You might want to take a cruise through the Micrsoft KB also.....
    Al
    It isn't paranoia when you KNOW they're out to get you...

  10. #10
    Senior Member
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    I'm astonished by the response you received from packard bell.

    WinXP home does not (and afaik can not) use a password when booting the recovery console, so as has been suggested, hitting enter will do the trick.

    In contrast, WinXP pro does require a password, which would have been specified when WinXP was initially installed, or altered at a later date by a user with admin privileges.

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