Locked out of my computer - please help

[Guest]

My laptop computer (on XP Pro) could not connect to my desktop (on XP Home)
to do a backup. I went into Properties on my computer - Computer Name. I was
looking for the Computer Name to search for my laptop from the desktop. While
my computer was previously configured to a domain at a company I used to work
for, it offered the chance at the bottom of the screen to use a Workgroup
name. This had previously been the way I networked the 2 computers. I changed
this Workgroup to the workgroup on my desktop. It then asked for a user name
and password from my domain that would allow this. I entered my normal
windows username and password. It confirmed that the Workgroup had been
changed to the name I had given it and then prompted me to restart my
computer for the changes to take effect. After restart it says that either my
username or password is incorrect. I have tried everything to get back in
including safe mode, going back to the latest Windows settings that worked. I
am locked out of my laptop and I still do not have a recent backup. Help me
Please.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

My laptop computer (on XP Pro) could not connect to my desktop (on XP
Home) to do a backup. I went into Properties on my computer -
Computer Name. I was looking for the Computer Name to search for my
laptop from the desktop. While my computer was previously configured
to a domain at a company I used to work for, it offered the chance at
the bottom of the screen to use a Workgroup name. This had previously
been the way I networked the 2 computers. I changed this Workgroup to
the workgroup on my desktop. It then asked for a user name and
password from my domain that would allow this. I entered my normal
windows username and password. It confirmed that the Workgroup had
been changed to the name I had given it and then prompted me to
restart my computer for the changes to take effect. After restart it
says that either my username or password is incorrect. I have tried
everything to get back in including safe mode, going back to the
latest Windows settings that worked. I am locked out of my laptop and
I still do not have a recent backup. Help me Please.

What is it with people chaning from a domain to a workgroup then expecting
their domain username/password (which they just removed by disjoining the
domain) to continue to function? And why must you remove a computer from a
domain (or even join in most cases) to get drive mapping capabilities? You
can try to map via IP address (Start --> Run -->
\\computer.ip.add.ress\sharename and when it asks (if it asks) - give it a
username/password on the other computer.)

Admittedly - if the systems are in the same workgroup - it can make using
the Windows GUI to find and connect to the other computer a little easier
with simple file sharing and all that crud turned on - so I guess I sort of
see the logic - but once you get to a point where you are unsure what will
happen - like, "What will happen when I change from the domain to a
workgroup- it does look to be a different setting at least..?" why do most
people then dive in head first into the shallow end of the pool instead of
asking or researching first?

Anyway - you have to know a LOCAL username and password now. You were
obviously using a company (domain) username and password to logon before -
since it was in the domain and it had that cached.. -- but all that ability
went away when you removed it from the domain. You can either remember a
local username/password on this machine, format it and start over or try and
hack the administrator password with one of the tools below (since you do
not have access to the company you "used to work for" - you really cannot
take it back to them to have them rejoin the domain. heh)

Try here:
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/lostpass.htm

And if worse comes to worse:

Hack your password:
http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/bootdisk.html

Another Password Hack:
http://www.thomasmathiesen.com/itak/html/software.html

Once you get in, you may not have access to your old files in C:\Documents
and Settings\YourOldUsername.. You'll need to take ownership. (If you used
encryption... ow.)

(As long as EFS is not involved)
How to Take Ownership of a File or Folder in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308421

How to disable simplified sharing & set permissions
on a shared folder in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307874

One of those should get you in.. And if you ever run across something you
are contemplating on doing - research a little first using a google search
or two with the exact wording of the window or way you got tot that point to
see what might happen.. BEFORE it happens. heh

Search using Google!
http://www.google.com/
(How-to: http://www.google.com/intl/en/help/basics.html )

 

[Sparda]

My laptop computer (on XP Pro) could not connect to my desktop
(on XP Home)
to do a backup. I went into Properties on my computer -
Computer Name. I was
looking for the Computer Name to search for my laptop from the
desktop. While
my computer was previously configured to a domain at a company
I used to work
for, it offered the chance at the bottom of the screen to use
a Workgroup
name. This had previously been the way I networked the 2
computers. I changed
this Workgroup to the workgroup on my desktop. It then asked
for a user name
and password from my domain that would allow this. I entered
my normal
windows username and password. It confirmed that the Workgroup
had been
changed to the name I had given it and then prompted me to
restart my
computer for the changes to take effect. After restart it says
that either my
username or password is incorrect. I have tried everything to
get back in
including safe mode, going back to the latest Windows settings
that worked. I
am locked out of my laptop and I still do not have a recent
backup. Help me
Please.

If your laptop still thinks it is a member of a domain, shouldnt there
be an "advanced" button on the login dialog box that would alow you to
login localy?

 

[Shenan Stanley]

Desperate Novice wrote:

While my computer was previously configured to a domain at
a company I used to work for, it offered the chance at the
bottom of the screen to use a Workgroup name. This had
previously been the way I networked the 2 computers. I changed
this Workgroup to the workgroup on my desktop. It then asked
for a user name and password from my domain that would allow
this. I entered my normal windows username and password.
It confirmed that the Workgroup had been changed to the name
I had given it and then prompted me to restart my computer for
the changes to take effect. After restart it says that either my
username or password is incorrect.

<SNIP>

If your laptop still thinks it is a member of a domain, shouldnt there
be an "advanced" button on the login dialog box that would alow you to
login localy?

I left the relevant part above. The OP removed the laptop from the domain.
The option is gone.