Forgotten password in WinXP Professional

MrBillMrBill Missouri Member
edited August 2003 in Science & Tech
My nephew forgot his password to his computer and we can't log on. I tried booting in safe mode, but I don't know what the default administrator password is either. The OS is WindowsXP Professional.


Any ideas how to retrieve the password or log on as administrator in safe mode?


TIA!


Bill

//edit: It's Professional not Home, like I first posted.

Comments

  • stoopidstoopid Albany, NY New
    edited July 2003
    You HAVE to know the admin password if there are multiple accounts on the PC, otherwise I don't personally know of any.

    Good news is -- he can't lock the account, so try away!
  • MrBillMrBill Missouri Member
    edited July 2003
    He says he doesn't know his password. I'm not trying to get into the computer without his knowledge. :)


    Worst case scenario is that I format the drive and he can start over again....
  • edited July 2003
    Well, hmmm.... Try here, the trial version. If simple, this will figure it out for you. Ity must be run on a network to which the PC you want to know the PW is hooked up to, and the trial probably will need to be run from a 2000 Boot disk set boot if this is a standalone box. I AM assuming the box will not boot as he made it a password protected box, RIGHT??? If it will boot, take the thing and load it on the box.

    http://www.crackpassword.com/products/prs/otherms/ntsecurity/
    AFAIK, this version is not illegal, it will not work over the web. It is an Elcomsoft product, and cracks only passwords and not serial numebrs or such and is intended for system admins.

    If not simple, there are Linux emergency boot disks with password decoders that can handle XP and 2000 and NT machines also.

    But, if not simple I suggest you get him to reload XP once, then write down password backwards and put in back of an address book or some such thing he is not likely to lose and which is NOT a sticker on the PC.
  • stoopidstoopid Albany, NY New
    edited July 2003
    Originally posted by MrBill
    Worst case scenario is that I format the drive and he can start over again....

    probably best case scenerio if one of the password crackers (how can that be legal?) that Ageek offered doesn't work...
  • edited July 2003
    Breaking illegitimately is illegal. Owner breaking own box is quite legal, and agent of owner doing same is legal. Also a way to validate security of passoword beyond the basic (VERY BASIC) PW security in 2000 and XP. This has to be done locally or with admin access to other box on a LAN. This does not extract serial numbers or Microsoft proprietory stuff.

    As with most things, if illegally broken into the software could yeild code that could be used in ohter ways, but all algorithms can be misused in some manner. So, legal to admin own box or act as agent for box's owner to admin as owner desires if that does not break rights of others.
  • kanezfankanezfan sunny south florida Icrontian
    edited July 2003
    Oh no, Mr. Bill!!!! lol always wanted to say that to you. anyhow, here you go:

    A Windows 2000 CD can boot up a Windows XP box and start
    the Windows 2000 Recovery Console, a trouble shooting program.
    Windows XP then allows the visitor to operate as Administrator without
    a password, even if the Administrator account has a strong password.
    The visitor can also operate in any of the other user accounts that may
    be present on the XP machine, even if those accounts have passwords.
    Source: http://www.briansbuzz.com/w/030213/


    also found this www.ciacommander.com and also you can use LC3 to crack it.
  • kanezfankanezfan sunny south florida Icrontian
    edited July 2003
    After further testing, I highly recommend LC3, which is now LC4, aka l0pht crack, I just rant this thing against the machines in my office, it's quick, and why would someone use STINKY as their password???
  • Nolf-JobNolf-Job Inside each and every one of you!
    edited July 2003
    Kanezfan, what OS are the machines in your office? Just wondering if this works on XP.
  • edited July 2003
    Works on 2000 and XP, just tested it on an XP Pro box. I'm not Kanez, but LC4 does work on XP also. XP has a 2000 backend, that includes the PW encryption used. File system is a tib different, but only as to journalling and not as to files themselves.
  • kanezfankanezfan sunny south florida Icrontian
    edited July 2003
    yup, it worked on XP in my office.
  • MrBillMrBill Missouri Member
    edited July 2003
    Thanks guys. I'll try the LC4 method when I get to their house tonight. I'm still at work after 12-1/2 hours. :eek:
  • edited July 2003
    Best of Luck.
  • tophericetopherice Oak Ridge, TN
    edited July 2003
    l0pht crack LC4
  • MrBillMrBill Missouri Member
    edited August 2003
    Amazingly, my nephew remembered his password when we told him we would have to re-format his harddrive.

    I changed password for Administrator while I had the chance, so next time I should be able to get into the system if he "forgets" his password again.
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