recovery console password?

[SYSMAN_MK]

A laptop has the following file missing
Windows/system32/config/system
Cannot get to logon screen.

Loaded recovery console, which asks for admin password, typed the admin password, and its incorrect, left it blank and it’s incorrect.

Technet :
When you attempt to log on to Recovery Console in Windows XP by typing the correct password for the local Administrator account, Recovery Console may display the following error message:
The password is not valid. Please retype the password.
Type the Administrator password:
This error message may occur even though you typed the correct password. If you start Windows XP, successfully log on by using the same password, change the local administrator's password, and restart the computer to Recovery Console, you receive the same error message.
CAUSE
This issue may occur if Windows XP was originally installed from a Sysprep image, or if Sysprep 2.0 was run on the computer at one time. Sysprep.exe makes changes to the way that password keys are stored in the registry; these changes are not compatible with the Recovery Console logon routine.


The os was installed at the manufactures (Acer).

Tried technet solution, but it did not work.

Any ideas?

thanks

[Geoff]

I'd give up at this point and restore from an image/backup/whatever.

[djm968]

You will need to reset the Administrator password. This link should help.

http://www.petri.co.il/forgot_admini...r_password.htm