XP won't boot, can't remember admin password for recovery console

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guest
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G

Guest

System won't boot, looks like file system corruption on HD. Would like to run
a chkdsk but can't get into the repair console because no one can remember
the admin password. The suggestions I've seen to replace the password seem to
require a working system.

Any suggestions on how to proceed would be appreciated.

Dabbler
 
Dabbler said:
Yup, we tried that, so there must be an assigned password.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

try a "Repair" ?

boot to the XP CD and go through the steps as if you are going to install it
again ...it will get to a point where it sees the existing install and will
give the option to repair the existing...
note: you will have to reapply service packs(if not slipstreamed) and
updates
 
Dabbler said:
System won't boot, looks like file system corruption on HD. Would like to run
a chkdsk but can't get into the repair console because no one can remember
the admin password. The suggestions I've seen to replace the password seem to
require a working system.

Any suggestions on how to proceed would be appreciated.

Dabbler
Click to expand...

Create a bootable CD using Bart's PE Builder
http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/

Boot the problem PC with that, open a Command Prompt window and enter
the command:

CHKDSK C: /R

Good luck


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP (1997 - 2006)
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"Anyone who thinks that they are too small to make a difference
has never been in bed with a mosquito."
 
Thanks that's a great suggestion. Heard from my client, he solved the problem
as follows:


Inserted afflicted drive in another pc as secondary drive.

The affected drive was missing boot.ini, config.sys, system.inf (a Dell file
identifying the CPU) and ntlr.sys. I simply copied them from the host system
and voila, problem solved!
 
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