Topic: Passwords

[Adept]

Yay!

Yes that's right Lona. Just follow the instructions. There is a lot of text to read, but most of it is just Linux stuff that you don't need to worry about.

Just follow the prompts carefully and everything will be fine

[Lona]

Thanks very much for your help adept :)I couldn't have managed on my own. It's been a long night, so I will go and have some fun now. I will let you know if the disk works. It maybe next week before I see my friend. I hope he's grateful.

[Adept]

No problem Lona. I hope it all works out OK for you

[Lona]

Funny, all my posts from yesterday morning have disappeared. Must be the new upgrade. Anyway, it was just to say that the floppy disc did not work. The pc just booted up as normal. I managed to get into setup by pressing del and went into passwords and changed it, but that made no difference. The orginal user kept coming up. Now what's worse I can't get into setup any more. I am flummoxed, as what to do next.  :'(

[Sandra]

When you said the floppy didnt work Lona,do you mean it never even flashed the light to say it was reading?
As long as it is able to read a floppy I think,unless there is something on the PC that he wants,I would be tempted to just format it and reinstall an OS if it will let you do that  

[Adept]

The password change software isn't all that easy to use Lona. I think you may have gone wrong somewhere. The software offers to change the Administrator user by default, so I am assuming this is the password you have changed.

If so, and assuming you've saved the changes you made to the password database, you should be able to log in as Administrator with the password you set.

Of course, if none of this makes sense to you, the disk probably isn't working properly Did you get screensful of text as Linux boots?

[Lona]

It didn't even attempt to read the disc, as Sandra said the light did not flash on the A Drive. I managed to get into the setup when the machine was booting up and changed the password in setup. Now what's happening is when you try to get into setup it asks for a password which is nothing to do with the password after boot up. I noticed on the Hookster's site it was said that the disc did not work for older versions of NT so maybe I will have to download an older version of the programme. I am fed up trying to help the guy as he doesn't appreciate all the trouble I am going to. I have spent hours trying all kinds of variations and he couldn't care less, I think I will leave him to sort it out himself. I've lost interest >

[Adept]

Oh well, at least you tried

If you ever feel like having another go, I think we could probably get it working if I talked you through it live on MSN

[Sandra]

Sounds like the A drive isnt selected as first boot device in BIOS Lona.
It may be password protected there too so I think the easiest way would be to remove the battery for a few minutes to clear the CMOS.
Replace it and then get into BIOS and enable floppy seek and A as first boot device.
Then either try the floppy you have again or as I said before format the drive and reinstall the OS.
Whichever way you do it you need to get into BIOS to get the floppy to read  

[Simon]

Lona's thinking "Boll**ks to it!!"  

[Sandra]

Just an idea Lona,has the guy thought of asking for the password from wherever he got the PC from? Or is it a bit "iffy"  

[Lona]

Let me put you all in the picture here...........
This is the husband of my friend who was given a PC by his employer from a department which was closed down. He doesn't know fart about PC's and I, with my limited knowledge decided to help him get into it. He doesn't give a toss and does not realise the complexity of breaking passwords. I have tried my best and failed. I hate to be beaten but there comes a time when you have to say stuff it and I have just about come to that time . I will come on to MSN, Sean and tell you all that happened and you can see what you think but I have spent hours of my time and yours on this bloke who doesn't seem to be bothering his bum so why am I getting my knickers in an uproar for him.