BIG Problem...forgotten password

I just got a call from my Brother who can not access his IBM ThinkPad. He can not start his system because it is asking for a password now and it never did before. I ask what he has done lately and he says he looked in the bios just to see what was there and he must have done something that setup a password? He was trying to setup a external CD Drive. He also does not have a 3.5 floppy drive. I am not that familiar with Win 2000 Pro and I told him I would post to see if I can get him some help... He is in a real pickle... Is there a way to access his computer by bypassing the password :confused:

I;m not sure if anyone is allowed to reply to this, it mat be considered a violation against the AUP...

Knowledgeable folks, please clarify this situation...

I'm not trying to cross the line here...If for some reason help with this problem can not be posted could I at least get a email or something from someone explaining what needs to be done?

I assume he does not get Windows login. What exactly does it say about a password and when does it ask him to enter the password? While posting or after he is in Windows?

Unfortuntly the only one who can answer this is IBM and he will need some form of origional ownerdship proof for them to assist other than that all I can suggest is you try google.

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Originally posted by paisan
I assume he does not get Windows login. What exactly does it say about a password and when does it ask him to enter the password? While posting or after he is in Windows?

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He says when he turns it on it comes up to the login screen like always but now for some reason it ask him for a password to be typed in, never did before??

Has he tried to just hit enter with no password? Sounds silly but I have seen users keep entering passwords into the box just because there was a password line there.

Does he have any other accounts setup on the pc besides the administrator account with admin rights?

Is this a windows log on password or a bios password as the two are distinctly differing answers?

It's a windows logon password.. He has no idea how this happened and I can't seem to pin down what he did other then look in the bios... He is not computer savvy and should never had attempted to do anything...

If its windows then hes best logging in as Administrator with the appropriate password when it was installed.

Sux to be your brother... If it is the windows logon password I do not know why that would change by going into the BIOS. If someone told me that, I would ask "What did you really do?"

One thing I always do on systems is add a second user incase something like that happens!

You could buy password recovery software if you want to pay for it, other than that... good luck! I am suprised this thread has not been shut down yet!

THE MICK

I know for a fact that he purchased the notebook second hand and that there was never a password needed to run it. It seems to me that most everyone seems to think that this is a sticky subject and should never been posted... That is the reason that I am calling this post to a end... I'll do my best to work it out myself with him and I truly take offence to anyone thinking that I was trying to pull scam.

Never thought it was a scam myself.

As has been mentioned before has he tried to logon as administrator and using no password?

Does he have any other user profiles setup on the pc that might have admin rights?

What does he logon as now?

Quote:

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Originally posted by paisan
Never thought it was a scam myself.

As has been mentioned before has he tried to logon as administrator and using no password?

Does he have any other user profiles setup on the pc that might have admin rights?

What does he logon as now?

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Yes he did try to log on with no password... Thank You for trying to help but I am serious about calling a end this post...

There was a solution to a Admin lost passwords on G4TechTV that required a Knoppix (linux distro) CD. The workaround used a booted system (Knoppix) to access the HDA device (hard drive) then walked thru the ADMINISTRATOR password reset process. The writeup should still be available on the site.

Does that help?

Sounds like he may have turned on the Supervisor/User BIOS level passwords. They are reset by powering off the motherboard and using the disgnated jumpers, removing the system batery, etc.