I need to get into an XP machine

[abillybob]

I have done this hundreds of times and this tool never FAILS me!!

 

Offline Windows Password & Registry Editor

 

Just boot into the live environment, select the user name you want to change the password... and type a new password - reboot and login!

 

Does this not require me to boot from the disc though? I need to be able to do it without booting from a CD? I haven't got any spare computers to use as I'm working from home because I'm sick at the moment.

[Ephelyon]

If you have a WDS deployment or similar you could try netbooting it.

[JackCPickup]

Seeing as you can't boot from media... How to Change User Password at Command Prompt

 

Force the PC into startup repair and run that command from cmd.

 

I want to reiterate that this doesn't require you to boot from CD or USB.

[Ephelyon]

Windows XP doesn't have Startup Repair.

[JackCPickup]

Some PCs will have a recovery console in F8 boot options.

[Ephelyon]

It would have to have been installed. The default setting is also to require an administrator password for it. It's highly unlikely that any "on-board" recovery options are going to work in this scenario, else there'd be no point in putting passwords on in the first place.

 

(... yes, yes, I know it's pretty pointless with Windows anyway... )

[X-13]

It would have to have been installed. The default setting is also to require an administrator password for it. It's highly unlikely that any "on-board" recovery options are going to work in this scenario, else there'd be no point in putting passwords on in the first place.

 

(... yes, yes, I know it's pretty pointless with Windows anyway... )

 

If you can get it to go into a repair install, I know how to change the password.

 

It's actually a security flaw that I've exploited multiple times when people forgot their passwords on old standalone XP laptops.

 

 

Also, if you know the default administrator password, assuming that the account you can't get into ISN'T that one and it hasn't been changed, boot into safe mode.

 

It shows the default admin account as a login option. [May not work on anything other that XP Home.]

[Ephelyon]

As far as I know, you can't get it to do that without the install CD unless the Recovery Console has been manually installed locally. The OP can't boot from CD or USB and it's highly unlikely the Recovery Console will be installed. No other local administrators available.

[X-13]

As far as I know, you can't get it to do that without the install CD unless the Recovery Console has been manually installed locally. The OP can't boot from CD or USB and it's highly unlikely the Recovery Console will be installed. No other local administrators available.

 

Sounds like the laptop is due for retirement then...

 

 

Strip what you think is useful and chuck it*.

 

 

 

 

*in accordance with WEEE regulations.

[abillybob]

AHHHHH ok I have got it to boot into a Windows 7 install disc (don't ask how as I don't really know how this has worked either) .... what do I do now GO

 

Update: Ah sorry about this guys it booted on a Windows 7 64bit disc somehow but it won't work as it's not a 64bit machine, I have tried all other discs including a newly made 32bit disc thinking it was a problem with the disc and they just dont work... weird!

Edited April 3, 2014 by abillybob

[X-13]

AHHHHH ok I have got it to boot into a Windows 7 install disc (don't ask how as I don't really know how this has worked either) .... what do I do now GO

 

Update: Ah sorry about this guys it booted on a Windows 7 64bit disc somehow but it won't work as it's not a 64bit machine, I have tried all other discs including a newly made 32bit disc thinking it was a problem with the disc and they just dont work... weird!

 

Needs to be Win XP for my way. Flaw was fixed in Vista+.

 

 

It sounds like your boot disks are dodgy if it's booting from Win7x64...