Changing passwords?

[Fuquad]

So a neighbor has a computer and has forgotten the password.


How would one gain access to the computer.

if I take his drive and put it in my computer I can access his hard drive. but can i change his settings?
And if so, How?

thank you in advance.

[Bebek Sincap Ratatosk]

So a neighbor has a computer and has forgotten the password.


How would one gain access to the computer.

if I take his drive and put it in my computer I can access his hard drive. but can i change his settings?
And if so, How?

thank you in advance.

Depends on the OS and the configuration. If you take his drive and mount it as a slave in your system, you can access the data (unless he encrypted it). If its a *nix system, you can boot in single user mode and change the password... If its windows, you either have to boot his box from a rescue disk or use a Admin password recovery tool.

In theory, the hash of the password lives in the SAM database (do they still call it sam?) and you might be able to wipe it or replace it with one from another account that you know... but it can be tricky.

Best bet, save the data off via the slave drive method and rebuild the box. Or get a recovery tool

[the last yatto]

ps if its a bios password (ie bootup) then remove the watch battery on the motherboard and leave it out for a few hours and then put it back. this also restores all your settings to default so you might need to reconfigure things

[Fuquad]

It's windows and I have no rescue disk nor do I have a admin password recovery tool.

I have no idea what SAM is. so tricky is right out. Could I command line a password?

how would I tell if it's a bios password?

[Bebek Sincap Ratatosk]

It's windows and I have no rescue disk nor do I have a admin password recovery tool.

I have no idea what SAM is. so tricky is right out. Could I command line a password?

how would I tell if it's a bios password?

BIOS password would be before you actually get to Windows at boot. A Windows password would be the one you type in at the little box prompt after windows booted.

As far as I know, there is no command line password tool for windows.

Sounds to me like you're looking at a rebuild or you might try something like:
http://pcsupport.about.com/od/toolsofthetrade/tp/passrecovery.htm

I don't endorse any of those tools since I don't use them... but worst case is you have to rebuild the box

[Fuquad]

I would rather rebuild the box. but it was spelled out what he wanted.
so it's got to be one of the tools.

and if the tools don't work then I guess I get to rebuild.

[Bebek Sincap Ratatosk]

I would rather rebuild the box. but it was spelled out what he wanted.
so it's got to be one of the tools.

and if the tools don't work then I guess I get to rebuild.

ROFL, yeah... or tell him to do it himself

[Fuquad]

I would rather rebuild the box. but it was spelled out what he wanted.
so it's got to be one of the tools.

and if the tools don't work then I guess I get to rebuild.

ROFL, yeah... or tell him to do it himself

Not an option.
I could use the money.

[Bebek Sincap Ratatosk]

I would rather rebuild the box. but it was spelled out what he wanted.
so it's got to be one of the tools.

and if the tools don't work then I guess I get to rebuild.

ROFL, yeah... or tell him to do it himself

Not an option.
I could use the money.

Then go for the recovery tools and charge him lots

[Fuquad]

I already agreed to $50 Dollars and parts.

[Template]

I already agreed to $50 Dollars and parts.

Parts

[Fuquad]

I already agreed to $50 Dollars and parts.

Parts

OOOOooooooohhhhhhh.

I need to wait a few days while this disc I ordered is shipped to me.

[Sheered Völva]

It's windows and I have no rescue disk nor do I have a admin password recovery tool.

I have no idea what SAM is. so tricky is right out. Could I command line a password?

how would I tell if it's a bios password?

BIOS password would be before you actually get to Windows at boot. A Windows password would be the one you type in at the little box prompt after windows booted.

As far as I know, there is no command line password tool for windows.

Sounds to me like you're looking at a rebuild or you might try something like:
http://pcsupport.about.com/od/toolsofthetrade/tp/passrecovery.htm

I don't endorse any of those tools since I don't use them... but worst case is you have to rebuild the box

I'm not an expert, but did anyone else use his computer who had a different logon and password? Did your friend set up a guest account with a different password or with no password at all?

[Fuquad]

It's windows and I have no rescue disk nor do I have a admin password recovery tool.

I have no idea what SAM is. so tricky is right out. Could I command line a password?

how would I tell if it's a bios password?

BIOS password would be before you actually get to Windows at boot. A Windows password would be the one you type in at the little box prompt after windows booted.

As far as I know, there is no command line password tool for windows.

Sounds to me like you're looking at a rebuild or you might try something like:
http://pcsupport.about.com/od/toolsofthetrade/tp/passrecovery.htm

I don't endorse any of those tools since I don't use them... but worst case is you have to rebuild the box

I'm not an expert, but did anyone else use his computer who had a different logon and password? Did your friend set up a guest account with a different password or with no password at all?

not on the one I'm asking about.
but another guy heard that could turn a PC into A DVR, and apparently that's the situation there.

And the whole I know how to do it thing comes from me telling a different neighbor that it's possible to do things.

I'm going to get an education.
that's for sure.

I had to tell him that I'd lookinto it because the schematics I have use a different processor. but at least I was able to do properties check to see what he had running.

[Requia ☣]

For fuck's sake, there are how many gearheads here and none of you know how to hack a windows system?'

For XP, reboot the system, and tap F8 as it starts up, select safe mode, and log onto the account named Administrator, which is only there in safe mode, the password is blank 99% of the time.

For vista, boot to the VIsta CD (if you do not have one, and tech support for the company will not give you one mail a bomb to the computer manufacturer), select the repair mode, and do a system restore, this will take you back to the old password.