HELP!

[Jay]

I Recently purchased a second hand laptop and didn't
realise it had been connected to a network previously. I
cant gain access to any admin privlages (I have access to
a guest account), I cant add a new user as an
administrator, I cant install a new copy of XP over the
top of it (because I dont have administrator access) and
IBM's product recovery has been disabled by the
administrator through the bios settings which I need a
password for.

The guy I bought this from has since dissappeared.

Any help would be appreciated

 

[PopRivet]

Search the MS KB for "lost password"+XP

| I Recently purchased a second hand laptop and didn't
| realise it had been connected to a network
previously. I
| cant gain access to any admin privlages (I have
access to
| a guest account), I cant add a new user as an
| administrator, I cant install a new copy of XP over
the
| top of it (because I dont have administrator access)
and
| IBM's product recovery has been disabled by the
| administrator through the bios settings which I need
a
| password for.
|
| The guy I bought this from has since dissappeared.
|
| Any help would be appreciated

 

[Doug Knox MS-MVP]

Since this is a hardware level password, he won't find anything in the MSKB.

 

[Doug Knox MS-MVP]

IBM laptops can be protected by a BIOS password or an IDE password. The former may be bypassable, the latter can result in the loss of a hard disk. Your best option is to take the laptop to an IBM service center, with proof that you bought it.