xp repair, now requires admin password???

[rmotny133]

Help! Thorougly confused! I had installed a program on my computer and a couple days later when I booted, it just locked up at the "Windows Starting" screen. It just hangs there. (1yr old hp pavilion laptop, xp home, P3, 60G)

I could not start in "Safe" mode either. Hangs there as well.

Tried to do a repair using my hp xp OS cd w/sp1. I believe I accomplished this correctly (boot to cd, Hit enter, then f8, then "R"). However when my computer restarted after the repair it acts like it is starting correctly, asks me to register windows and setup time & date, etc.....then presents me with a login prompt.

Asks me for my user password. I don't have one, never did. three finger salute and entering admin also will not let me in. I never had an admin password and the default "Blank" will not work either. Trying to boot in safe mode prompts me for my admin password...again can't get in...so I can't change my password.

"System cannot log you on due to the following error: The specified domain either does not exist or could not be contacted."


I am using an adware, spyware, and norton antivirus internet security that are all up to date. I don't know if I have a virus (from newly installed prog) or if I just had a corruption and made a mistake in using my hp os xp cd to do a repair...when I should have used a ms xp cd.

Please help. Any thoughts? thanks-

[CR-240]

I sugest you use the NT offline password & registry editor. You will be able to reset the administrator password and enter your machine. hope it's going to work for you.


http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/

You'll find all informations you need over there

[rmotny133]

Thanks for the help. Unfortunately I have tried this already (twice) and had no lcuk with it working. Goes through all steps, but when I rebott...it still asks for a password. I went so far as to F10 during the "Installing Devices" while xp is "repairing" to get access to User Accounts. When I do this it says something to the effect of User Account not available.
I saw a thread about xp can no longer find the right path to the
userinit.exe. Wonder if this has anything to do with my prob.

[CR-240]

when you reset the password did you save the change after reseting, a lot of peoples forget that and the system will still ask you for the password but if you did blank it just press enter. If woud did all of that i can't help you for the moment stay strong.

[snowmonkey]

Download NTFS DOS

http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/fr...fsdospro.shtml
or
http://www.ntfs.com/boot-disk.htm

Boot to the floppy

then delete
C:\WINDOWS\system32\config\SAM
or
C:\WINNT\system32\config\SAM

This is the SAM database - Deleteing this file will blank the Administrators password on the machine

[rmotny133]

Originally Posted by snowmonkey

Download NTFS DOS

http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/fr...fsdospro.shtml
or
http://www.ntfs.com/boot-disk.htm

Boot to the floppy

then delete
C:\WINDOWS\system32\config\SAM
or
C:\WINNT\system32\config\SAM

This is the SAM database - Deleteing this file will blank the Administrators password on the machine

Bare with me here. So I boot and how do I locate that file? cmd and do a find "c:\windos\system32\config\sam?....or just Del "c:\wind....?

[rmotny133]

OK, so I del'd that specific file. Now I get "Security Accts Mgr initialization failed because of the following error:A device attached tot he system is not functioning. error status: 0xc0000001. Please shut down system and reboot in safe mode.
Trouble is, this happens in normal and safe mode. I get the same Isass.exe - system error box.
Any suggestions?

[rmotny133]

I now believe my problem is more related to something with a network rather than a password problem...although it is asking for a password. I have reset my password, and a number of other attempts to gain acces. The error I get is "System cannot log you on due to the following error: The specified domain does not exist or could not be contacted".
Checked msft site and the only thing I found pertained to widows server or 2003. Hmmmm... this is a@#$!@.

[torque2k]

ARGGH! For a minute there, I thought maybe we had an outbreak of some new virus, as I'd just replied in another thread elsewhere here with the same problem!

Please refrain from asking the same question in different parts of the forums on the same site. We're all looking at the new questions, no need to add to the confusion. See your other thread in the Windows XP section.

[rmotny133]

Ok. will do. Sorry. Just wasn't sure what area to post my question. But in future will only post in one area.