Install Win XP without CD/DVD/floppy on locked Win2000 system....

[Dan]

Problem:
I was given a used portable computer with a tricky problem: It runs Win 2000
but the person I got it from does not remember the password to any accounts,
even the administrator account. To add to that the computer has no built-in
CD, DVD or disk drives (and no external ones that I have access to). It does
have USB and network ports.

Question:
How can I install a new copy of Win XP Professional onto this computer?

Possible idea for a solution:
Is it possible to force it to boot from a USB memory stick or a USB hard
drive and install Win XP from that device?

The computer is a Fujitsu-Siemens B Series LIFEBOOK.

Any help appreciated!
/Dan

 

[Shenan Stanley]

Problem:
I was given a used portable computer with a tricky problem: It runs
Win 2000 but the person I got it from does not remember the
password to any accounts, even the administrator account. To add to
that the computer has no built-in CD, DVD or disk drives (and no
external ones that I have access to). It does have USB and network
ports.
Question:
How can I install a new copy of Win XP Professional onto this
computer?
Possible idea for a solution:
Is it possible to force it to boot from a USB memory stick or a USB
hard drive and install Win XP from that device?

The computer is a Fujitsu-Siemens B Series LIFEBOOK.

Only if the computer supports booting from a USB stick/drive.
However - a USB CD drive - it probably supports (being a lifebook).

You can likely get a USB CD drive, boot with it (after changing the BIOS)
and fix it that way.

The real question is - do you want to even TRY running WIndows XP on it?

 

[Dan]

Shenan,

I thought it would be a good computer for the children to use, though
probably slow. Or maybe I'll use it as a control-PC for our Scalextic
Digital slot track.

Anyhow, is it somehow possible to make an external USB-hard drive into a
bootable disc by
copying some files onto it?

Then maybe I could run a copy of the WinXP install disc from the USB hard
drive?

When I connect a LaCie 500 GB USB hard drive and look in the bios menu under
Boot Device Priority I see these devices:

-Floppy Disk Drive
Legacy FLoppy Drives
-Hard Disk Drive
IBM-DJSA-220-(PM)
Bootable Add-in Cards

....but not the USB hard drive.

Any ideas of how to get the PC to recognize the USB hard drive at the bios
level?

/Dan

 

[GreenieLeBrun]

Problem:
I was given a used portable computer with a tricky problem: It runs Win
2000 but the person I got it from does not remember the password to any
accounts, even the administrator account. To add to that the computer has
no built-in CD, DVD or disk drives (and no external ones that I have
access to). It does have USB and network ports.

Question:
How can I install a new copy of Win XP Professional onto this computer?

Possible idea for a solution:
Is it possible to force it to boot from a USB memory stick or a USB hard
drive and install Win XP from that device?

The computer is a Fujitsu-Siemens B Series LIFEBOOK.

Any help appreciated!
/Dan

If the machines BIOS does not support booting from a USB device then you
will be unable to boot from the external HDD.

If the drive is visable to the machine then you may be able to run the XP
setup from the external HDD whilst you are in W2K. You will, of course, have
to have a valid XP product key to activate the install.

If you are happy just to run W2K then go to
http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/ .
There you will find zip files that will let you create boot floppy disks or
bootable CDs
that will enable you to reset any system password on an NT class operating
system.