Help Unlocking PC :: Saint John, NB - Computers & Technology

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  #1  
Old 09-30-2010
Bawango Bawango is offline
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Default Topic: Help Unlocking PC

Help Unlocking PC

Is there a way to unlock a PC? I have a PC that I would like to reformat but I don't have the Windows password for it. The PC I believe was part of a network in an office setting and is asking for a user name and password.
I tried putting windows in the CD drive but that did not really do anything.
Any suggestions??
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  #2  
Old 09-30-2010
dpage466 dpage466 is offline
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Default Topic: Help Unlocking PC

Are you talking about a windows password or a BIOS password? a windows password should not prevent you from reformating if yuor booting from your windows disc as your operating system hasn't loaded yet.
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  #3  
Old 09-30-2010
Bawango Bawango is offline
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Default Topic: Help Unlocking PC

The PC has XP in it and I have Windows 11. Its not the BIOS password. When the PC boots it goes to a log in screen asking for a user name and password. I don't have either.
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  #4  
Old 09-30-2010
dpage466 dpage466 is offline
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Default Topic: Help Unlocking PC

well you cant reformat the hard drive within windows itself anyways as your operating system is on it. If you looking to re-install xp you would have to format it from your disk, which will automatically delete any and all passwords.
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  #5  
Old 09-30-2010
jiggypat23 jiggypat23 is offline
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Default Topic: Help Unlocking PC

I've found that if you boot the pc in safe mode and use the Administrator account, you can get logged in and go to the control panel, under user accounts and go in and remove the passowrds off of the accounts that have passwords setup.
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  #6  
Old 09-30-2010
Living Life Living Life is offline
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Default Topic: Help Unlocking PC

Hard drive may be locked with a password...try another hard drive also..
popular with company/network drives. Just a thought.
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  #7  
Old 10-21-2010
Bawango Bawango is offline
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Default Topic: Help Unlocking PC

So I was able to track a used HDD and transfered it to the locked PC. The used HDD has vista in it. When I reboot the PC it asks me to repiar or restart windows normally. I did both and heres whats happening. Picking "start normally" just loops and bring me back to my 2 choices "start normally" and "repair" the "Repair" option does seem like its doing something but at the end it sayd HDD found = 0?
On another reboot I followed the instructions and hit any key and it took me to where I chose Vista. Then I selected boot in safe mode.It proceeded to load what looked like drivers for Vista but thats it. It finished and the PC rebooted and I was again back to "repair" or "start windows normally"
Any ideas?
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  #8  
Old 10-21-2010
dpage466 dpage466 is offline
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Default Topic: Help Unlocking PC

the reason its asking you to repair is because the OS was installed on another computer using different hardware, even if you got it to boot its most likely going to tell you that your hardware has changed significantly and needs to be re-activated before you can login. Best bet would be to re-install something on the hdd that has vista on it. When it loads up you should be able to access the files on the secondary hdd

Last edited by dpage466; 10-21-2010 at 12:42 PM.. Reason: typo
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  #9  
Old 10-21-2010
Bawango Bawango is offline
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Default Topic: Help Unlocking PC

What if I only have an XP disc? Will it let me do a down grade from Visat back to XP??
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  #10  
Old 10-21-2010
dpage466 dpage466 is offline
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Default Topic: Help Unlocking PC

it should because your going to format the hdd while using this disc. Do you actually need any of the information on the first hdd?
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  #11  
Old 10-21-2010
Bawango Bawango is offline
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Default Topic: Help Unlocking PC

Quote:
Originally Posted by dpage466 View Post
it should because your going to format the hdd while using this disc. Do you actually need any of the information on the first hdd?
Nope theres nothing in the HDD that I need. I actually was able to track down a Vista and XP disc, however I ended up going with Vista since the replacement HDD had vista in it to start anyway. Is 2.40 Ghz a decent CPU?
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  #12  
Old 10-21-2010
dpage466 dpage466 is offline
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Default Topic: Help Unlocking PC

it should be adequate for Vista, what do you have for RAM?
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  #13  
Old 10-21-2010
Bawango Bawango is offline
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Default Topic: Help Unlocking PC

Quote:
Originally Posted by dpage466 View Post
it should be adequate for Vista, what do you have for RAM?
RAM I have a bit over a bit over a GB. I'm canabalizing another PC right now so I may be able to get another GB.
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  #14  
Old 10-21-2010
dpage466 dpage466 is offline
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Default Topic: Help Unlocking PC

2 gig again will be adequate but vista is a resource hog, so if you can come across another gig or so it will work better, did you get a license key with your vista disk? what version of Vista did you come across?
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  #15  
Old 10-23-2010
Bawango Bawango is offline
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Default Topic: Help Unlocking PC

Quote:
Originally Posted by dpage466 View Post
2 gig again will be adequate but vista is a resource hog, so if you can come across another gig or so it will work better, did you get a license key with your vista disk? what version of Vista did you come across?
Vista was home edition but I went ahead and installed Windows 7 Ultimate edition.The RAM I had on the old PC was DDR PC333 which was not compatible I guess (wont fit in the slot) what I had in the PC I am working in is PC2-5300.DDR PC333 is a hard RAM to get a hold of now a days.
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  #16  
Old 10-24-2010
dpage466 dpage466 is offline
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Default Topic: Help Unlocking PC

so the old pc is ddr, and the new pc is ddr2. did you get everything installed okay this time around?
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  #17  
Old 10-25-2010
Bawango Bawango is offline
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Default Topic: Help Unlocking PC

Quote:
Originally Posted by dpage466 View Post
so the old pc is ddr, and the new pc is ddr2. did you get everything installed okay this time around?
Yup. Up and running.
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