W2K logon-can't remember password

[Looking-spider]

I deleted some unused programs from my W2K Pro laptop. Now when I try and log in, the device does not recognize any id/password configuration so I can't even get into my own laptop!

I know there was a way to correct this problem, but I forgot how. I have all the CD's, how can I fix this???

[CadetLee]

I don't think the Administrator account can be deleted, try logging in with that.

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System specs

Heatware

[jester22c]

Originally posted by CadetLee:
I don't think the Administrator account can be deleted, try logging in with that.

This is correct the Administrator account cannot be removed and if you can't get that to work try logging in as Guest that account is still probably in there unless you removed it.

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I like to eat chicken.

[Looking-spider]

Well I don't remember the Admin password, and when I tried to login with Guest, it stated that the Guest account was not active (or something to that effect).

Any other ideas?

[duke2106]

The guest account is disabled by default for security reasons. The Admin account cannot be locked out, so if you have a few passwords to try, keep pumping them in. I'm pretty sure there are programs that can reset the admin password to something, but I don't remember what the program is. Does anyone else here know this program?

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Running:
Athlon 1000 Thunderbird
ASUS A7A266 MB BIOS 1009
ATI Radeon 7500 64mb DDR AGP
512mb PC2100 DDR ram
40gig hd
20gig hd
Iomega 2gig Jaz external drive
SBLive! Value
3com PCI NIC
Samsung 900IFT 19" Monitor
Windows 2000 Professional(40 gig drive)
Antec SX-635 case

[Grizzly]

Yeah it's called FDISK

But really, if you have no clue on what you set your Administrator password, than there is one last desperate measure.

All account passwords are stored in this directory:
"WINNT\system32\config"

In this file:
"SAM" (no file extension)

If your HD is Fat32, you can very eaily boot off of a Win98 boot disk and delete this "SAM" file. If your file system is NTFS, than you need to seek a 3rd party dos application like NTFSDOS in order to delete the SAM file from a DOS shell.

Once you delete the SAM file, you'll be able to log back in as "Administrator", leaving the password blank.



[This message has been edited by Grizzly (edited December 27, 2001).]

[jester22c]

Grizzly you never cease to amaze me. That's some handy information there.

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I like to eat chicken.

[CadetLee]

It's that easy? lol..

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System specs

Heatware

[Grizzly]

You're welcome fellas. I, as well as many other folks have posted this information on more than one occasion over the past year or so. But it's been a while since this question has been asked, so it's new to many of you I'm sure.

But yeah...it is that easy, pretty scary eh?

[duke2106]

I was certain that there was other software out there (not fdisk, grizzly ) that could either get the administrator password for you or reset it to whatever you wanted. But, yeah, I do remember seeing that information posted earlier, but I didn't remember it at the time.

------------------
Running:
Athlon 1000 Thunderbird
ASUS A7A266 MB BIOS 1009
ATI Radeon 7500 64mb DDR AGP
512mb PC2100 DDR ram
40gig hd
20gig hd
Iomega 2gig Jaz external drive
SBLive! Value
3com PCI NIC
Samsung 900IFT 19" Monitor
Windows 2000 Professional(40 gig drive)
Antec SX-635 case