Help Please: XP Recovery Console Administrator Password Problem

[Rich]

Hello. I hope someone can help... I have a broken Linux install dual
booting system and I want to restore my normal windows XP boot
process. I inserted my Win XP disc and booted from the CD. I want to
"R"epair my windows installation on "1. C:\Windows" and the system
asks me for my Administrator password. Here's my problem. I enter my
Administrator password, but, it's not accepted ... it says it's
wrong. I even aborted the process and logged in as the
"Administrator" to verify that I know the password. Note, I never
renamed the Administrator account ... it's still "Administrator"

So I tried the recovery again and still no good ... says I am using
the wrong password. Then, I logged in as the Administrator again and
changed my password to be empty/null. Even this is rejected during
the repair process.

Has anyone ever seen this before? How can I recover without
formatting my hard drive? UGGGGH! Thanks kindly, Rich (please don't
reply via e-mail ... dead account for spam prevention)

 

[John John]

The password to enter is the one for the local administrator account;
the built-in administrator account, not your administrator account.
Perhaps it's just blank, try leaving the field blank and just press enter.

If you can boot to the Windows you can also enable Auto-Logon for the
Recovery Console with Group Policy, it's in the Local Security Policy.
For XP Home Edition edit the registry:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/312149

John

 

[riffin-rich]

Wow ... that was quick. Thanks John. Unfortuately, I don't
understand, "The password to enter is the one for the local
administrator account; the built-in administrator account, not your
administrator account." What is the difference between the local
administrator account and "my" administrator account?

When I installed/set-up XP, I was prompted for a password for "the"
Administrator account ... that was the password I tried. Not
subsequent local admin accounts I created.

Anyway, I did try using a blank password too but that didn't work.
Thoughts/ideas? Thanks! Rich

 

[riffin-rich]

I also forgot to ask about your second portion: "If you can boot to
the Windows you can also enable Auto-Logon for the
Recovery Console with Group Policy, it's in the Local Security Policy.
For XP Home Edition edit the registry:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/312149"

I am using Windows XP Pro and I can still boot to windows ... I need
to enter a string of grub commands to get into Windows, but I can
still get there. If I enable the policy in XP Pro (assuming it's the
same as for XP Home), how does that work? I'll just boot straight to
the recovery console? Thanks again, Rich

 

[John John]

If you enable the Allow automatic administrative logon policy on the
Recovery Console you will not be asked for a password to use it. Do as
it says in the Microsoft article that I posted earlier. With XP Pro you
can use either methods, with XP Home being that there is no Group Policy
tool you have to do it by way of registry edits. With XP Pro to access
the Group Policy tool use the Control Panel applet or click Start | Run
type gpedit.msc and then click OK or press enter.

John

 

[riffin-rich]

YOU ROCK, John. I'll try it when I get home tonight. To think I got
so mad yesterday that I almost formatted my hard drive and started
over. I'm glad I took a day off, went to bed early, and thought to
post here. Thanks for helping. Thanks much! Rich

 

[John John]

You're welcome. I think that you should fix the Administrator account
problem. Some day you will need it to log on to Safe-Mode to fix
something and you will still be in the same pickle as you were
yesterday. Remember that passwords are case sensitive. Try here for
more information: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/298252

In the future remember that if you really can't log on to a Windows
installation there are other ways around the problem... things that can
be tried when all else fails, don't be too quick to format an otherwise
reasonably good Windows installation.

John

 

[John John]

Oh, by the way, if you installed XP from a sysprep image that might be
the problem. There is a hotfix for that or you can download the Setup
Boot Diskette Set from Microsoft.com to log on to the RC.

John

 

[riffin-rich]

John I'm not sure what a sysprep image is, but I do believe I recall
this load being a restoral from a Norton Ghost image that I had
previously created. Is that what you're talking about? I'll have to
take a look at the article you mentioned in your other post ... I'm
assuming that is the fix I need ... ? Also, I did have the password
exactly correct ... case and all. Thanks again. Rich

 

[John John]

If you used Sysprep to prepare the Ghost image that could be the
problem. Is your Windows XP CD at SP1 or better? If enabling
Auto-Logon for the console doesn't work take a look here:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308402 You can also use the floppy
diskettes, they have been updated to correct the problem.

John

 

[riffin-rich]

John, I just wanted to get back to you to let you know that your
inital solution worked (to enable the auto-logon policy). My long-
term problem (not having the password based on a corrupted(?) ghost-
install) is a problem for another day.

Out of curiosity, do you format your hard drive and start over
periodically just for the heck of it? Just in case you get a rootkit
on your system that goes unnoticed by your antivirus/antispy-ware. I
often wonder if I should do that much more often than I do. Again,
thanks again for your help. Now I have a different problem I need
help solving. I'll post that one in this forum momentarily.

Thanks again! Rich

 

[John John]

Thanks for the follow-up. You can do partition work and formatting when
you run the Windows XP setup program. You just boot with the Windows cd
and proceed to do the installation. After you press F8 and accept the
License agreement you will be presented with a list of available disks
and partitions on your computer. At that screen you can format the
partition. Always select a Full NTFS format not the Quick format, the
quick format doesn't check the disk for errors, ok if you know that the
disk is in good shape, otherwise do the full format. Only use FAT if
you have compelling reasons to do so. Always keep this in mind: if you
delete and recreate partitions, after you recreate the partition(s) exit
and relaunch the setup program, that will avoid unexpected drive letter
assignments, like having Windows end up on a drive letter other than "C:"

John

 

[riffin-rich]

Thanks again John! Have a great day. Regards, Rich