get around unknown pass word

[Guest]

A friend gave me her computer (old ) and on log in it asks for password. she
dosent know it cause her husband put it in there and he has recently died in
iraq.
-- It has xp pro on it and I just want to get in there to clean it up get
rid of there files (personal) and give it to my stepson for xmas is there a
leagle way around password??
frownows

 

[Tom Porterfield]

A friend gave me her computer (old ) and on log in it asks for password. she
dosent know it cause her husband put it in there and he has recently died in
iraq.
-- It has xp pro on it and I just want to get in there to clean it up get
rid of there files (personal) and give it to my stepson for xmas is there a
leagle way around password??
frownows

Your best bet is probably to reload the machine using the restore disks
if supplied, or the XP CD that the original install was done from. This
will allow you to set your own password, clean up the old files you want
to get rid of, and generally get the machine back in factory new state
as far as the OS goes.
--
Tom Porterfield
MS-MVP Windows
http://support.telop.org

Please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup only.

 

[Sky King]

Hi;

Tom is correct (as usual <g>). However, you may try booting into Safe Mode,
then logging in as Administrator hitting the return key (for a blank
password) at that login screen. If that works you can change/add/delete
user accounts; clean up; etc.

Also, if can you boot into the Recovery Console the system may be set to log
the Administrator in automatically or the password there may also be blank.

Some of the info here may help:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;321305 and
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307654

 

[Si]

So to ask a really thick question, if you reload XP from the original
disc, do you get to keep your old files and documents? I thought
reloading the OS would wipe clean any thing that was on the machine?
Thanks.

Si

 

[John Barnett MVP]

Well yes and no. Yes you can keep your old files/documents if you did a
repair install of XP, but you would need a full version copy to this, you
couldn't use recovery discs supplied by the PC manufacturer as most
manufacturer recovery discs simply wipe the drive and install XP all over
again.
If you did a 'clean' install which would mean formatting the hard drive
prior to installing Windows XP then, no your personal data would not be
saved.
Basically it just all depends upon how you go about re-installing Windows.

--
John Barnett MVP
Windows XP Associate Expert
Windows Desktop Experience

Web: http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org
Web: http://vistasupport.mvps.org
Web: http://www.silversurfer-guide.com

The information in this mail/post is supplied "as is". No warranty of any
kind, either expressed or implied, is made in relation to the accuracy,
reliability or content of this mail/post. The Author shall not be liable for
any direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages arising out of the
use of, or inability to use, information or opinions expressed in this
mail/post..

 

[Alan Edwards]

You can keep them if you do a repair install.
Have a read of these:

Windows XP Home Repair Guide:
http://www.windowsxphome.windowsreinstall.com/installxpcdrepair/indexfullpage.htm

Windows XP Home Fresh install from CD:
http://www.windowsxphome.windowsreinstall.com/installxpcdoldhdd/indexfullpage.htm

....Alan

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

So to ask a really thick question, if you reload XP from the original
disc, do you get to keep your old files and documents? I thought
reloading the OS would wipe clean any thing that was on the machine?
Thanks.

In addition to the other answers you've gotten, let me mention that
you can also keep "your old files and documents" if you do a clean
installation, but the old files and documents are on a different
partition from Windows.