Password screen

[ms]

This is a used W2K computer, was booting with no password screen. Ran

TweakUI for it's useful settings, but it has some default settings I never

use and usually unselect. This time IIRC, logon during boot waa not

unselected. So on the next boot, see a password screen, the previous

owner's password is unknown, left with only option to shut down.



Had just loaded my utilities so ERUNT either saved it's first registry

before I ran TweakUI, or just afterward.



I have the 4 boot disks and emergency disk from my other W2K computer, but

IIRC they are not useful on this machine.



I got into Safe Mode, but then see the password screen.



Tried Safe Mode - Debugging mode, but windows starts with the password

screen.



Since I can't get into the OS, I can't even replace the previous owner's

password with my own.

'



How to remove the password screen on bootup?



ms

 

[Dave Patrick]

You can reset it.



http://pogostick.net/~pnh/ntpasswd/







--



Regards,



Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.

Microsoft Certified Professional

Microsoft MVP [Windows]

http://www.microsoft.com/protect



"ms" wrote:

> This is a used W2K computer, was booting with no password screen. Ran

> TweakUI for it's useful settings, but it has some default settings I never

> use and usually unselect. This time IIRC, logon during boot waa not

> unselected. So on the next boot, see a password screen, the previous

> owner's password is unknown, left with only option to shut down.

>

> Had just loaded my utilities so ERUNT either saved it's first registry

> before I ran TweakUI, or just afterward.

>

> I have the 4 boot disks and emergency disk from my other W2K computer, but

> IIRC they are not useful on this machine.

>

> I got into Safe Mode, but then see the password screen.

>

> Tried Safe Mode - Debugging mode, but windows starts with the password

> screen.

>

> Since I can't get into the OS, I can't even replace the previous owner's

> password with my own.

> '

>

> How to remove the password screen on bootup?

>

> ms

 

[Greg Russell]

"Dave Patrick" wrote in message

news:#o#zydt6KHA.1888@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...



> You can reset it. http://pogostick.net/~pnh/ntpasswd/



Ah yes, Linux to the M$ user's rescue ... again.

 

[ms]

"Dave Patrick" wrote in

news:#o#zydt6KHA.1888@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl:



> You can reset it.

>

> http://pogostick.net/~pnh/ntpasswd/

>

>

Thanks, Dave.



I got the data on the website, downloaded the floppy, and digested the

data. For me, its involved. Maybe a last resort.



I had run the machine for at least 4 cold boots before TweakUI, did not yet

notice if System Restore was present.



With an othewise working OS, is there any other way to either get to an

earlier registry, or bypass that screen?



ms

 

[Dave Patrick]

It's really the only way short of calling the previous owner or clean

install.







--



Regards,



Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.

Microsoft Certified Professional

Microsoft MVP [Windows]

http://www.microsoft.com/protect



"ms" wrote:

> Thanks, Dave.

>

> I got the data on the website, downloaded the floppy, and digested the

> data. For me, its involved. Maybe a last resort.

>

> I had run the machine for at least 4 cold boots before TweakUI, did not

> yet

> notice if System Restore was present.

>

> With an othewise working OS, is there any other way to either get to an

> earlier registry, or bypass that screen?

>

> ms

 

[Pegasus [MVP]]

"ms" wrote in message

news:848jb8FarU1@mid.individual.net...

> "Dave Patrick" wrote in

> news:#o#zydt6KHA.1888@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl:

>

>> You can reset it.

>>

>> http://pogostick.net/~pnh/ntpasswd/

>>

>>

> Thanks, Dave.

>

> I got the data on the website, downloaded the floppy, and digested the

> data. For me, its involved. Maybe a last resort.

>

> I had run the machine for at least 4 cold boots before TweakUI, did not

> yet

> notice if System Restore was present.

>

> With an othewise working OS, is there any other way to either get to an

> earlier registry, or bypass that screen?

>

> ms



You can prevent the automatic logon by holding down a shift key during the

Windows startup process.



The registry file c:\WinNT\repair\Sam holds password but it may be too old

for the purpose. To get replace the current Sam with the old one you need to

access the registry folder in off-line mode. Here are three options:

a) By booting the machine into Recovery Console mode

b) By booting it with a boot CD such as the Bart PE boot CD

c) By connecting the disk as a slave disk to some other WinNT (or higher)

PC.

 

[ms]

"Pegasus [MVP]" wrote in

news:uYYgNjv6KHA.2220@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl:



>

>

> "ms" wrote in message

> news:848jb8FarU1@mid.individual.net...

>> "Dave Patrick" wrote in

>> news:#o#zydt6KHA.1888@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl:

>>

>>> You can reset it.

>>>

>>> http://pogostick.net/~pnh/ntpasswd/

>>>

>>>

>> Thanks, Dave.

>>

>> I got the data on the website, downloaded the floppy, and digested

>> the data. For me, its involved. Maybe a last resort.

>>

>> I had run the machine for at least 4 cold boots before TweakUI, did

>> not yet

>> notice if System Restore was present.

>>

>> With an othewise working OS, is there any other way to either get to

>> an earlier registry, or bypass that screen?

>>

>> ms

>

> You can prevent the automatic logon by holding down a shift key during

> the Windows startup process.

>

Thanks, it works.



Holding down the shift key, I wind up with the user name screen, select OK,

and the OS loads.



It will be a nuisance, but I will have to live with it.



> The registry file c:\WinNT\repair\Sam holds password but it may be too

> old for the purpose. To get replace the current Sam with the old one

> you need to access the registry folder in off-line mode. Here are

> three options: a) By booting the machine into Recovery Console mode

> b) By booting it with a boot CD such as the Bart PE boot CD

> c) By connecting the disk as a slave disk to some other WinNT (or

> higher) PC.

>



You mentioned replacing the current password with an old one. How does that

help as I would want to replace the current password with a new one?



How to boot into Recovery Console? I didn't see that in the F8 setup

screen.



ms

 

[Dave Patrick]

You're original post led us to believe you were locked out.



for an "NT"ish operating system you can run regedit.exe and navigate

to

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

edit the Reg_Sz string values

"DefaultUserName"

and

"DefaultPassword"

to reflect the correct username and password. (note: the password for an

autologon account can not be blank) and set the Reg_Sz value of

"AutoAdminLogon" to "1"



(if they don't exist then ADD them)



Make sure you know the password for the local administrator account before

doing anything!





--



Regards,



Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.

Microsoft Certified Professional

Microsoft MVP [Windows]

http://www.microsoft.com/protect



"ms" wrote:

> Thanks, it works.

>

> Holding down the shift key, I wind up with the user name screen, select

> OK,

> and the OS loads.

>

> It will be a nuisance, but I will have to live with it.

>

>> The registry file c:\WinNT\repair\Sam holds password but it may be too

>> old for the purpose. To get replace the current Sam with the old one

>> you need to access the registry folder in off-line mode. Here are

>> three options: a) By booting the machine into Recovery Console mode

>> b) By booting it with a boot CD such as the Bart PE boot CD

>> c) By connecting the disk as a slave disk to some other WinNT (or

>> higher) PC.

>>

>

> You mentioned replacing the current password with an old one. How does

> that

> help as I would want to replace the current password with a new one?

>

> How to boot into Recovery Console? I didn't see that in the F8 setup

> screen.

>

> ms

 

[ms]

"Dave Patrick" wrote in

news:#88#dww6KHA.420@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl:



> You're original post led us to believe you were locked out.

>

> for an "NT"ish operating system you can run regedit.exe and navigate

> to

> HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

> edit the Reg_Sz string values

> "DefaultUserName"

> and

> "DefaultPassword"

> to reflect the correct username and password. (note: the password for

> an autologon account can not be blank) and set the Reg_Sz value of

> "AutoAdminLogon" to "1"

>

> (if they don't exist then ADD them)

>

> Make sure you know the password for the local administrator account

> before doing anything!

>

>

Yes, I was locked out. The Shift key got it going again. I will save your

post for the future.



Now, on bootup, I see a screen "can't logon with your password", close it,

see the username screen, but *now* I can click OK and the OS loads

normally. As long as it works this way, it's fine. If later I have to

change the old password, I will use the data in this thread.



Thanks to all for the help.



ms