donating abandoned comp - administrator?

[chaszal]

Hello folks,
A tenant, when he vacated, left a Pentium II, 6G HD, XP Home machine, with lots of personal information on it (ugh, when will they ever learn), and good software. I want to securely delete that personal information, retain the software on the machine and donate the machine to a charity. I can't contact the tenant to find out his Administrator password. I can get into it as "guest", but I can't change or delete anything. So, help? I tried the usual passwords, like his name, his girlfriend's name, but no go. How can I get in as an Administrator? Tenants have left machines before, and I have reformatted, but the only OS I can install is Win98; this one has XP and I can't think that a charity could use anything else right now (except Vista), so: what I have to do is delete the personal info, clean it up and donate.
Thanks in advance,
Chas

[dneilson]

I don't believe you'll get any help on this board on cracking an Administrator Password. I think your only way out is to somehow contact that guy and get it--new address? phone number? where does he work? mutual friends may help?

[chaszal]

I don't believe you'll get any help on this board on cracking an Administrator Password. I think your only way out is to somehow contact that guy and get it--new address? phone number? where does he work? mutual friends may help?

Isn't that the precious thing. I have a computer that I can donate (I was thinking to Women's Community House, a shelter for abused women and children) and it could be landfill, or it could be put together with a keyboard, mouse, and monitor which I am also ready to donate, and maybe help a family to get their life back together. I'm not talking about "cracking" an administrator password for some nefarious project. I just want to donate a computer..
Respectfully yours,
Chas

[lgbpop]

That's the policy and it's that way for good reason. Perhaps your motives are pure, but those of an observer may not be. After all, whatever the reason - you ARE talking about cracking a password.

Wipe the drive and donate the hardware. If it can be used, the donee will be happy to get it with or without the operating system.

[dneilson]

I notice you've been a member since June 2000 with 411 posts so you've been here quite a while. Your type of question has repeatedly been asked through the years--you must have missed every one or you wouldn't have asked that question because the answer is always the same. Read the AUP, it's very clear.

[Train]

Passwords, Sorry as stated, no one will be able to help you.

Locking the thread.