System Re-install Question

[SandyD]

On another computer, I am trying to do a Repair Install from my Windows XP
Home Edition installation disc. It keeps asking me for my administration
password.......I've tried all sorts of combinations of what I thought it
might be, but no luck...........

Should I just do a clean install and create another one?

The reason for this reinstallation is I am receiving a system error message
and the system just will not start. It goes thru some of the usual start up
windows, then this message appears.......then the system shuts down and
starts this circle again. All these problems have happened since installing
IE7!!!

Help will greatly be appreciated.
Sandy

 

[Guest]

On another computer, I am trying to do a Repair Install from my Windows XP
Home Edition installation disc. It keeps asking me for my administration
password.......I've tried all sorts of combinations of what I thought it
might be, but no luck...........

Should I just do a clean install and create another one?

The reason for this reinstallation is I am receiving a system error message
and the system just will not start. It goes thru some of the usual start up
windows, then this message appears.......then the system shuts down and
starts this circle again. All these problems have happened since installing
IE7!!!

Help will greatly be appreciated.
Sandy

Well did you tried a blank Password?.
If yes then if you have an important Data and you have another XP computer
try to hook the HDD as Slave and Rescue your data on Removable storage or on
a folder in that Computer and you can transfer it back after clean install.
HTH.
Regards,
nass

 

[Guest]

It's also possible that you have had corruption occur in your Windows
Registry. If the hive containing security information is damaged you may
well be entering the correct password and yet have it never work for you
again.

Someone else responded to your post with a valuable suggestion for how to
attempt to save any important data you might need from your hard drive before
doing a clean wipe and re-install of the OS. How critical that machine is
to you is actually the focus of my post.

If you have nothing you can't afford to lose (or your data is already backed
up) I'm thinking the clean install will save you time in the long run and
more assuredly handle whatever issues you currently have.

While I didn't sense it in your post... if the current installation,
however, was super, super critical for you and starting over just isn't
bearable, I wanted to alert you that some recovery from a Registry disaster
IS possible - again in case this is the only answer you can bear.

The problem is.... the detailed instructions listed in the Knowledge Base
article I used once are lengthy and somewhat complicated as it walks you
through playing games with Registry backup file names and file locations in
multiple steps to do things Windows was not designed to allow you to do in
order to eventually get back in. It's a pain and, while not my
recommendation to pursue, it saved MY butt once and was quite a learning
opportunity. (smile)

If you can deal with a clean install (after saving personal data first or
not), my recommendation is to begin considering the re-install if no one else
has other ideas.

Good luck.

 

[Kevin]

On another computer, I am trying to do a Repair Install from my Windows XP
Home Edition installation disc. It keeps asking me for my administration
password.......I've tried all sorts of combinations of what I thought it
might be, but no luck...........

Should I just do a clean install and create another one?

The reason for this reinstallation is I am receiving a system error
message and the system just will not start. It goes thru some of the usual
start up windows, then this message appears.......then the system shuts
down and starts this circle again. All these problems have happened since
installing IE7!!!

Help will greatly be appreciated.
Sandy

Uninstall IE7. See if that clears up your issue. But, I'm confused about
the admin password thing. Why would a system ask you for your password when
you boot up from the Windows disk? The computer doesn't know it's you
booting your personal copy of Windows, so why would it be asking you for a
password? I never set up any of my systems with an admin or system
password. Never have.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

On another computer, I am trying to do a Repair Install from my Windows XP
Home Edition installation disc. It keeps asking me for my administration
password.......I've tried all sorts of combinations of what I thought it
might be, but no luck...........

The password being requested is that of the built-in
_Administrator_ account, not the password for any other administrative
user accounts that the computer's owner may have created. Unless the
owner deliberately set the Administrator's password via the Management
Console (_not_ the Control Panel), it's probably still blank. WinXP Pro
asks the installer to set the Administrator's password during
installation, but WinXP Home doesn't.

Failing that, Linux-based password cracking utilities abound on the
Internet, freely available to anyone who can use Google.

Should I just do a clean install and create another one?

Your choice, but it's rarely necessary to do so.

The reason for this reinstallation is I am receiving a system error message
and the system just will not start. It goes thru some of the usual start up
windows, then this message appears.......then the system shuts down and
starts this circle again. All these problems have happened since installing
IE7!!!

Is there any reason you're keeping the text of the error message a
secret? Perhaps if you were to actually tell us what the error message
says, someone could offer a less drastic solution.



--

Bruce Chambers

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