Need help with windows XP password/bootup problem

So I Got this computer from the city dump today by random chance, took it home and decided to salvage for any working parts.

Well The whole computer works, The only problem is that when I do a normal boot (it has windows XP home edition btw), it gets to the "Windows is starting up" screen and stays there. When I tried to boot it up in safemode, it worked, but both the administration account, as well as the Previous owners actual account are password protected. and as you can guess, I have no idea what the passwords are.

So I was wondering if there's anyway to remove/change the passwords without knowing them, or If i can just reinstall windows using my installation CD and using the windows product key that they so conveniently put on the computers case.

Or if there's anything else you guys know of that can do the trick, let me know.

 

i only "tested" the password at boot, once, and got rid of it. didn't try doing anything, like changing boot options, so your best bet may be to get a new hd. i may be wrong but it seems like a passworded boot won't let you do much. you could try changing the boot options to cd; if it works, you're good to go. if so, just reformat and install. if not, new hd.

LOL surprised the haulers didn't catch that pc, unless it was dumped by the owner. i used to work for a major waste hauler and our guys, that had the Aspen/Vail routes, had their entire homes furnished with "garbage" from celebrities and just "plain" rich folk. Good catch, if you can get it working.

 

well I can easily boot it from a CD, but I dont know If I can use my windows installation disc with the product key that's listed on the sticker that's on the computer's case. Will it actually work?

aside from that i really dont wanna just ditch the HD, because the thing is 120GB. The whole PC aint that bad either, just found out the Graphics card can run Doom 3 at 60 FPS. Its a big step down from my main rig that runs crysis on high, but its still a nice find.

but yeah, this was the part of the dump where you drop your junk of, so no haulers. but there was actually a guy who worked down at the dump who was collecting any computers people threw out. He let me have this one after I asked 2 other guys for the computer they were throwing out only to find that the guy working there already called dibs on it.

 

I fairly sure you can just use your Windows CD with their product key. I don't think there should be a problem with service pack editions using that method.

As far as getting the password for the current setup you could try the steps in the second half of this page but you may run into a service pack problem if your CD doesn't match the service pack on their system. Of course, at best you'll end up with a Windows installation that only works in Safe Mode.

You know there are lots of opinions about his http://www.google.com/#hl=en&source...disk+my+key&aq=f&aqi=&oq=&fp=ed1a83d7582cb0e6

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r23249606-XPPro-will-a-valid-XP-key-work-using-any-XP-install-disk

You better read up before taking my advice. Is it a name brand computer like HP Dell? Because then the key would probably be OEM and might not work with your CD.

 

ok, thanks guys!

 

one other thing, you can try the vendor's website (vendor info should be on the initial screen with the BIOS and processor info) for any particular instructions and basic drivers you need if you do a reinstall, especially the proper driver install order. you need these BEFORE you reformat & install, saved on removable media, btw depending on the vendor, you can search for what you need by the particular model or Service Tag (this is what Dell put on the side of my case).

the product key on the side of my case was the one i put there from my original product cd and it sounds like you have your original one. if you need/can get another install cd, you shouldn't need a key. i got one from my Dell vendor, 6 years later, and it didn't need a key...or the key was embedded. was missing my original stuff (MS Works, Adobe reader, Roxio GoBack, etc.) but there are free equivalents (OpenOffice and Foxit pdf reader, for example) that are as good or better.