XP Administrator Password Lost

Hi guys hope you can help me out?

I've just bought a laptop that used to be part of a network and I have only very limited access through the user name and login that I have and I wish to clean the machine down and re install Xp from my disc.

The problem is I cannot boot from disc as it goes straight past F10 at start up, I cannot access the admin account in safe mode and when trying to use a cmd line in dos it just says access is denied when I try to format c etc??

Any help would be gratefullt accepted


Thanks

Noddy

 

BTW.. Welcome noddyinnapa to Major Geeks.

Since your going to wipe things clean and start a new...
Best way I know of to do this is to use a 98SE boot floppy with "fdisk" installed.

You'll need to boot the floppy then type "fdisk" without the quotes.
Chose "Large disk support" or "Y" at the start screen then from the next menu chose to delete all non DOS partitions.

At this point you can either...
Create a primary partition, exit "fdisk", Reboot from the floppy, format C:, restart your computer, boot from an XP CD and reinstall.
This will give you a FAT32 disk format.
Or exit fdisk, put in your XP boot CD, restart your computer then boot from said XP CD and reinstall.
This will allow a NTFS disk format from the start.

One emergency method is to just plug the HD into another computer and reformat the drive using Windows.
But being that the HD in question is in a laptop...
This would only be a last choice method.

Let us know how it goes.

 

Thanks Jinx!

Please excuse my ignorance but I've managed to find a 98SE boot disc stuffed it into the A drive and opened it up!

However although I can see Fdisk amongst the files on the disc whenever I click on it it seems to try and open the black (command) window but then it shuts immediately?

I can't boot directly from the disc as I can't access the BIOS? menu to change where I boot from??

 

fdisk will never work within a running XP.
fdisk is a DOS app and XP and DOS don't see eye to eye.
You need to boot from the floppy.
To access the BIOS...
At first power up... tap the "delete" key.
This should get you to the BIOS menu.
This is where you can change the boot order.

 

I feel this may be a long job

When the laptop is started up (Toshiba Satellite SP2100) I'm asked for a password straight away, once this is entered (I have a limited user one) then the computer boots as normal via the Windows XP black screen and logo then onto the ctrl-alt-del login screen?

I've a feeling I'm stuck forever, some bargain this was

 

Ok... got ya.
Remove the the "BIOS" battery and let it set for a bit.
This should remove the password.

We'll get you stratened out.
Consider this a learning experiance.

 

Will removing the normal battery still disable the BIOS side of things then?

I've heard horror stories of having to try and remove the BIOS battery itself and I understand on these machines it's soldered in place

 

Look for a jumper.
Usually there is a jumper near the battery that will clear all BIOS passwords.
Especially on soldered in batteries.

 

A jumper??

Sorry you lost the dumb English guy again

 

Jumper: Two 2 or more wires that are sticking up side by side on the motherboard and are used to hold configuration information, The "jumper" is configured by repositioning a plastic covered connector over said wires. They are usually black. But can also be blue' brown or white.

I'm sure you have seen them before.

 

I've located two wires with connecters that were taped away from each other under a back panel?

Are these the ones and what do I do (one's black one's white)

If it's easier for you and you have msn or similar my instant msg addy is my username on here @hotmail.co.uk

Thanks again!

 

If you need a walkthrough I'll get onto MSN and help.
You'll need to have another computer on hand though so you can have your laptop open.

This would be a jumper:
http://s2.excoboard.com/forums/7296/user/50927/334375.gif

This would be a jumper block where a configuration is set:
http://s2.excoboard.com/forums/7296/user/50927/334376.jpg

I'm going to search down your computer model and see if such jumpers are even on that laptop.

 

Ok meantime do I need to get the back of the laptop open?

I'm using my desktop for this conversation so I'm fine to stay online throughout Jinx

 

Laptops...
Got to love em'.

Before we hack your computer to bits... do you know the BIOS type the computer is using?
It's usually on First boot up screen.

I think I found a way to get the BIOS un-passworded without opening it.

 

Unfortunately not, as soon as I start up I get prompted to enter a password which I have but thats only a basic user profile and after entering the password it goes straight to log in

Unless it can be found somewhere on a normal screen ??

 

Ok...
Try this:

TOSHIBA BIOS

Most Toshiba laptops and some desktop systems will bypass the BIOS password if the left shift key is held down during boot

 

Nope I get three attempts then have to turn the power on again

The shift key doesnt take me past it either

 

Ok...
Seems opening the laptop and disconnecting the battery somehow may be the only way.

There is a slight chance that shorting the battery for 5 to 10 seconds may get the password removed without having to unsolder the battery.

But unfortunately I think it will still require you to disassemble the laptop.

 

Right ok hmmm sounds like fun I presume the whole back has to come off and not just one of the access panels (of which there are a few!)

Best I get the back of this thing then!

 

Now the fun part begins!

I pretty much gave you the tools you need to reset everything.
We'll be here to help if you need anymore advise.

 

Don't know if you're still there Jinx but I managed to take the BIOS battery offline for a few mins and have got into the menu and booted from the disc

Thanks for all your help I owe you a beer when you're in the UK

 

Excellent noddyinnapa. Well done.

I just may take ya up on the beer some time.

A trip to the UK is on my "to do" list eventually.