XP Passwords

[rwelborn]

I purchased a computer several months back at a yard
sale. I just got around to trying it. All four accounts
are password protected and the hints didn't help. I
tried administrator with blank password and got the
response "Unable to log you on because of an account
restriction." How can I use system without reformatting
drive? I didn't get any disks with the system.

 

[purplehaz]

You don't. You need to format if you do not know any of the previous owners
passwords. If the seller sold you a computer with windows xp on it and did
not give you all the product info, a product key and a xp cd then in
Microsofts eyes the sale is not legal and most likely it's a pirated version
of xp anyway. You're only option would be to go out and buy a real version
of xp and turn in the seller to ms if you want to.(I would)

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

How to Log On to Windows XP If You Forget Your Password or Your Password Expires
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;321305&Product=winxp

WELCOME TO PASSWORD CRACKERS
http://www.pwcrack.com/index.shtml

Windows XP / 2000 / NT Key
http://www.lostpassword.com/windows-xp-2000-nt.htm

If you have no luck with the above suggestions:

Clean Install Windows XP
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

P.S. If you did not receive a Windows XP Product Key and
a method to restore Windows XP to its original configuration
(i.e. Windows XP CD), you do not have a valid license to
use Windows XP on that computer. In that case, you'll need
to purchase a copy of Windows XP and perform a "clean install".

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


| I purchased a computer several months back at a yard
| sale. I just got around to trying it. All four accounts
| are password protected and the hints didn't help. I
| tried administrator with blank password and got the
| response "Unable to log you on because of an account
| restriction." How can I use system without reformatting
| drive? I didn't get any disks with the system.

 

[OKlier]

dont pay

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

 

[Ken Blake]

In

I purchased a computer several months back at a yard
sale. I just got around to trying it. All four accounts
are password protected and the hints didn't help. I
tried administrator with blank password and got the
response "Unable to log you on because of an account
restriction." How can I use system without reformatting
drive? I didn't get any disks with the system.

In my view, buying a computer at a yard sale and trying to use it
without first reformatting and reinstalling the operating system
and everything else there is very foolhardy. You have no idea how
the previous user maintained it. What problems are there, what
viruses, what files are missing, what is misconfigured, etc.?
Although many problems can be fixed, finding them, especially
with no history of what's been done, can be a long troublesome
project.

I hope you didn't pay much for this. If you don't have
installation CDs, I would go and buy whatever you need. Or throw
it away, or use it for parts. But I definitely wouldn't try to
use it in its present as-is condition.