Rescuing an XP machine

That, of course, is what I usually do, but Compaqs don't appear to like you
doing that. There must be something in the BIOS which makes it difficult to
use anything but their recovery discs. This has retained the Administer
password and associated logon.

We acquired the machine quite legitimately, along with three others when we
took over management of a project from the local authority. When this
project ended he left and we retained the computers. The other three were
perfectly sound but this one was in a mess and so required recovery.

Malcolm
 >> Stay informed about: Rescuing an XP machine 

The BIOS doesn't have anything to do with a Windows XP password. Could
you be referring to the password for the BIOS itself?

If the BIOS was password protected you would not, for example, be able
to change the boot order to allow booting first from a Windows CD.

BIOS passwords can be reset, but you need to ask Compaq how to do this.

---
Ted Zieglar
"Backup is a computer user's best friend."

Oakridge wrote:
> That, of course, is what I usually do, but Compaqs don't appear to like you
> doing that. There must be something in the BIOS which makes it difficult to
> use anything but their recovery discs. This has retained the Administer
> password and associated logon.
>
> We acquired the machine quite legitimately, along with three others when we
> took over management of a project from the local authority. When this
> project ended he left and we retained the computers. The other three were
> perfectly sound but this one was in a mess and so required recovery.
>
> Malcolm
>
>
 >> Stay informed about: Rescuing an XP machine 

If it is the Bios password try pulling the password pin on the motherboard.
the Kids at my school used to pull that prank al the time. its easy to do.

Weit

"Ted Zieglar" wrote:

> The BIOS doesn't have anything to do with a Windows XP password. Could
> you be referring to the password for the BIOS itself?
>
> If the BIOS was password protected you would not, for example, be able
> to change the boot order to allow booting first from a Windows CD.
>
> BIOS passwords can be reset, but you need to ask Compaq how to do this.
>
> ---
> Ted Zieglar
> "Backup is a computer user's best friend."
>
> Oakridge wrote:
> > That, of course, is what I usually do, but Compaqs don't appear to like you
> > doing that. There must be something in the BIOS which makes it difficult to
> > use anything but their recovery discs. This has retained the Administer
> > password and associated logon.
> >
> > We acquired the machine quite legitimately, along with three others when we
> > took over management of a project from the local authority. When this
> > project ended he left and we retained the computers. The other three were
> > perfectly sound but this one was in a mess and so required recovery.
> >
> > Malcolm
> >
> >
>
 >> Stay informed about: Rescuing an XP machine 

I think I've sent us all barking up the wrong tree in mentioning the BIOS -
please erase that from your minds. The problem is how can I stop a machine
attempting to log onto a domain when there is only the one user.

Malcolm
 >> Stay informed about: Rescuing an XP machine 

With the Network Administrator password.

---
Ted Zieglar
"Backup is a computer user's best friend."

Oakridge wrote:
> I think I've sent us all barking up the wrong tree in mentioning the BIOS -
> please erase that from your minds. The problem is how can I stop a machine
> attempting to log onto a domain when there is only the one user.
>
> Malcolm
>
>
 >> Stay informed about: Rescuing an XP machine 

Oakridge wrote:
> I think I've sent us all barking up the wrong tree in mentioning
> the BIOS - please erase that from your minds. The problem is how
> can I stop a machine attempting to log onto a domain when there is
> only the one user.

Log on with a local account.

Remove machine from said domain (since you have a local account - but you
may want to create a second local account just to be safe) if there is no
need to logon to that domain.

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
 >> Stay informed about: Rescuing an XP machine 

The problem is that as soon as I enter the Administrator password an error
message comes up complaining that the machine is unable to connect to the
domain. There are no other users and I cannot get far enough to set one up.

Malcolm
 >> Stay informed about: Rescuing an XP machine 

You will have the choice of logging in to the domain or just to the
local machine IF the original network administrator setup the computer
that way. Otherwise I believe you are SOL, since the machine is looking
for a network to log into.
---
Ted Zieglar
"Backup is a computer user's best friend."

Oakridge wrote:
> The problem is that as soon as I enter the Administrator password an error
> message comes up complaining that the machine is unable to connect to the
> domain. There are no other users and I cannot get far enough to set one up.
>
> Malcolm
>
>
 >> Stay informed about: Rescuing an XP machine