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62 Comments
- spodlife, on 10/12/2007, -0/+11There is a much simpler Linux based boot floppy (or CD or USB etc) that wipes the administrator password : http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/
- javiel, on 07/08/2008, -0/+2In safe mode
Start>Run>CONTROL USERPASSWORDS2 - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2" Windows no longer allows you to leave the administrator password blank upon installation on xp, or 2000 or 2003"
***** i build pcs every day and theyre all blank. just did it RIGHT NOW - mtgarden, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Another fun loophole for you all: If you have a coporate XP Pro install disk (preferably you are working for a corp and you have the right to use said disk). When you hit the repair option and go to the command console, you do not have to know any password. The CD assumes that you have the right to change all the passwords or recover any data you want.
That said: use the linux CD unless you have a great need otherwise.
Also check out BartPE. One of the best recover tools on the market - and it's free! - VishalGupta, on 11/12/2007, -0/+1Following link contains a few other methods and utilities which can be used to reset / recover Windows Administrator password:
http://www.askvg.com/how-to-reset-recover-forgotte ... - Danathar, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1the procedure the poster links to uses the repair option on the setup cd which OVERWRITES your system files with older versions off of the CD. After you are done fixing your password you would have to go back and re-apply all the patches that have come out since the CD was burned.
Use the linux recovery CD option. It's better and you don't have to overwrite all of your patched dlls - tannpopo, on 10/21/2009, -0/+1There’s a way to reset the password and it doesn’t involve reformatting and reinstalling Windows. The solution is called Windows Password Reset 6.0. It can reset almost all Windows passwords in seconds. If you want to know how to use it, please visit it http://www.resetwindowspassword.com
- clevershark, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Windows has security holes? Incredible! I'm shocked!
- VishalGupta, on 11/12/2007, -0/+1Following link also contains a few other methods and utilities which can be used to recover / reset Windows Administrator password:
http://www.askvg.com/how-to-reset-recover-forgotte ... - skizatch, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1No digg, this is not a security hole. Physical access to the computer also allows many other "security problems". Like reformatting the hard drive, or disassembling the whole thing.
- shaft, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I always just used the shift + f10 thing to play solitaire while the install goes : )
- emer, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1an even easier/safer solution is to use an XP based BartPE CD and change the password for any account you want. Checkout http://www.ubcd4win.com/ It has a password reset tool built in to it. It also allows you to create additional accounts.
- RatBagu, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1antitrace:
You're wrong. I happen to have a Windows 2003 server installation with a BLANK Administrator password and a BLANK recovery password - jkearney, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1"Great! Will be trying this on my roommate's computer shortly."
rofl - shaft, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0take it easy on anitrace the guy probably had too much coffee this morning.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0home and pro
- shaft, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0or just get the sam file with a live version of knoppix. and use john the ripper or lc5 :)
- Seventus, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0If you have a Sony machine, just remember if you didn't name your Admin account Administrator, it's still there, and with a blank password (I believe this was posted on Digg not long ago). That sure beats going through the steps for the disks. It also makes it easier to get your system hacked. Thanks Sony!
- peerk, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I wouldn't really call the shift + f10 thing a security hole.
- dygitaljoe, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0@Stake (formerly, l0pht industries)... LC5.
- khaled, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0erd commander is alot better ;)
- TheTitan, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0ohhh sweet, very handy info.
ditto on the first comment! - shaft, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0"Windows no longer allows you to leave the administrator password blank upon installation on xp, or 2000 or 2003."
@antitrace --- In every copy of windows xp ive seen I was able to have a blank password. Just to clarify i was talking about windows xp (professional). - Tekmazter, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Yep, this one has been known for a VERY long time so no DIGG (sorry). FYI ... parrallel install of Windows would also give you access to all data on the drive (except for reinstalling your apps)
Linux boot disk has been around for a while, but watch your versions ... some will NOT work with XP and are 2K only. You can run into issues with machines that were previously in a domain before using a Linux BD. - wingo, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0well i found it neat, i got a new serial for my windows xp pro now.
winners don't do windows! :) - MindTrigger, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0agreed, I do blank admin passwords on all the machines I deploy here at work because I allow admin rights on the machine to all domain users anyway. Any security I need to apply is done on the domain. XP does still allow blanks.
- tawker, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Just use EBCD (google it) - it has a great intergrated password overwrite built in. Another great linux cd for fixing windows.
- funkyp56, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0USE ERD!!!!!!! MUCH EASIER
- jmoorse, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0hope you dont use efs...
- underburn, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Cool Find.
- abadbronc, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0This would have come in verrrry handy a few months ago.
- antiTRACE, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0^^ Unless of course, it is a DELL (they have a problem).
- linky1124, on 08/24/2009, -0/+0HERE is a recovery tool,windows password reset,recommended by PC support http://pcsupport.about.com/od/toolsofthetrade/tp/p ...
- chrisrosa, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0As mentioned above...there are a lot of easier options. http://tinyurl.com/cvdn2 [frozentech's livecd list]
- Zorlak, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I think this is a really cool trick, though I have third-party programs and knoppix discs that will do the same thing without the long repair process. The main thing that bothers me about this process is that typically when you do a windows repair you run risk of loosing critical windows updates, which then must be repeated after-wards. The author neglected to mention that... So the conclusion is that inexperienced users may loose critical updates, which they may not get around to getting for some time... Esp. if they were of the majority of users who bought XP before SP2 and their install disc has no support for it. Neat trick, but too late and not worth it these days, as more efficient programs exist. :)
- TuringTest, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0As others have said, there are much better ways to do this.
linux CD/floppy with CHNTPW, or bartPE/winPE with any one of the many tools available.
I would never recommend a repair install unless it's absolutley necessary. As well as losing windows updates/service packs it can cause stability problems. Think of the problems of an upgrade install of windows versus a clean one. No digg. - recover82, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0nice link spodlife. thats what i use too.
- Laughingman234, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Soooo....to get unauthorized access to a computer...you just...reinstall the OS. WHY DIDNT I THINK OF THAT?!
No Digg. Just use a bootable linux disc which I'm sure is cited in at least half of the 40 some posts above mine. - darwinsplato, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0is it possible to use a Linux live CD to reveal password without changing it....for those **rare** times when i want to view my password, but don't want to change it because then they would realize it was changed while my neighbors away on vacation and my VCR didn't work......
simply, how can i view password without changing it?
BTW...that was a tribute to FG - slackerhobo, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Wow 3 years behind the times
- mtgarden, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0@Darwinsplato
You have to spend a bit of money for software to do that. Not worth the effort to use the Freeware pword viewers. Looked into it once for a computer repair business I worked for. We had customers losing their pwords and wanting us to recover them. All of the freeware stuff is to tough. Just rewrite the pword. - jasqwerty, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0That has to honestly be the stupidest way possible to do this...
Well, maybe one step above just doing a reinstall. - kwaske, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0For those who thought you lost your EFS files after your password removal, there is hope. You can use the MS Backup utility that is on your XP CD to remove EFS protection. Use the MS Backup util to backup your EFS files, then recover them. During the recovery there is an option for removing EFS protection. Now you have all your files again!
Cheers! - olorinpc, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Why have a blank admin password? Well there are some uses in having blank or default passwords. Primary example would be in a test enviroment where the machine is protected from anything but local access and not critical or holding sensitive information.
However if people do (and they do) leave blank or default passwords on sensitive or critical computers, then yes they are being foolish. Though before calling them idiots like some do above, find out why first.
-olorinpc
http://www.sgbtech.com - Admin22, on 10/11/2007, -0/+0Password reset disk don't always work on new equipment - Lack of drivers - but, changing password with reinstall should be your last resort.
Yes, there are millions of PC's with Admin set to blank - Not good practice
If your using blank passwords on your machines, then you should be fired. This is the worst security practice in the world. No, It doesn't make a difference if your in a domain and no passwords on a computer in your domain is even more stupid. The reason for having strong passwords on users PC's is not that difficult to understand. Unless you know nothing about IT and the risk that we face everyday. No digg this post sucks.... - CodyT, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0"hcetrepus" seems might moody.. not enough coffee buddy? *thumbs down*
- intangible, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0You're in for a long night if you try to do this with a Pre-SP1/Pre-SP2 XP install disk on a Post-SP2 system. Until you manage to get all the updates installed again, IE/Everything in general acts like a wounded dog.
- cschandragiri, on 06/23/2009, -0/+0Use the Linux based thing, work fine and is a lot easier. Saved me tons of search time.
- diggnationdevon, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1There are easier ways.
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