Topic: Locked out of computer

[Clive]

A relative has phoned to say that he "is locked out of his computer because one of his children has pressed an incorrrect key."  I didn't take the message myself but presumably the machine was password protected.  I've been volunteered to pay a visit tomorrow evening to sort it out for him.    :argh:  :help:

[Sandra]

If it is a password problem then just pressing a key shouldnt have locked him out as rebooting and entering his password should sort it ok  :?

The only thing that I think they may have done is somehow altered or reset the password  :roll:

This could cause a problem and neccessitate some expensive software as mentioned in a recent post or reinstalling the OS  

[Clive]

Oh that was quick Sandra!  It certainly seems as if the password has been reset doesn't it?  I don't suppose booting up in safe mode and doing a system restore would help?  

[Sandra]

It depends if there are multiple password protected accounts on it or not Clive.
If there are then you cant get into safe mode without a password to do a system restore.
There was something I found about doing system restore from DOS, its in Michelles epic pc problem thread somewhere  :roll:

[davy51]

This works I just here lately had to do it

http://www.password-changer.com/


For some reason both user accounts on this particular computer had both passwords changed so i used this to get in

[Sandra]

I was wondering how youd got on with it Dave, I am so pleased it worked for you

[Clive]

Thanks Dave - I will certainly give that a try!  8)

[davy51]

I was wondering how youd got on with it Dave, I am so pleased it worked for you

It worked but I had to do it twice

I think some kid got on the computer and went to a sight and entered a password in a pop up window and the window was a windowsxp warning of some kind

both user accounts had the password changed

I couldnt find any virus or anything in the computer to account for what it did

[Clive]

It turned out that it was not a password problem after all.  For some reason, Windows 98 is refusing to load much after the initial Win98 screen and it just crashes if you attempt to start it in safe mode.  Naturally he doesn't have the original CD.  He has actually bought a newer computer and the only reason he wants to access the old one is to retrieve e-mail addresses.  I suppose that he could always temporarily install the HDD into the new machine?

[Sandra]

Get him to boot into DOS with a 98 boot floppy and run SCANDISK on it Clive, that may be all it needs.

If it still wont work then as you say he could add it as a slave drive in his new pc but before he accessess anything at all on it tell him to run his AV scan as it may have a virus which he wil transfer to his working pc if hes not careful  :roll:

[sam]

... and he might invalidate any warranties on the new comp! (I guess most will think of this but worth noting!)

[Sandra]

With the help of my tame DOS expert, good old Hugh    

If its just his address book that he wants then you could try this Clive.

Using a 98 boot floppy boot into DOS.

At the A prompt type DIR /P and confirm that the COPY command is on your boot disk, its not on all boot disks.
If its not there then you need to add it to your boot disk before you can try the following.
If its there then starting at the A promt type the following, pressing enter after each line :

C:

cd\windows

cd applic~1

cd micros~1

cd addres~1

Put a blank floppy in drive A and type :


copy *.wab a:\

I was thinking of using the XCOPY command but Hugh came up with this simpler option and has checked it on one of his pcs.

If for some reason your friends pc cant see the directories in those names then you will have to do DIR /P at each stage to find the DOS name of that pcs own particular directory, as long as you end up in the address book directory then you can copy it to a floppy using the above copy command.

[Clive]

Oh that's a brilliant suggestion Sandra!  Thanks very VERY much for that!!

[Sandra]

Did your friend try it yet Clive and if so was he successful  :?

[Clive]

I've arranged to go there on Sunday afternoon so I will be able to report back then!  8)