How does one over ride a passoword to enter a Microsoft XP laptop~? Inherited my late brother’s laptop and don’t know password. Thanks.
If they haven’t password protected the “Administrator” account …
Boot to the login screen and hit Ctrl+Alt+Del twice
Login with the these credentials:
username = Administrator
password =
If you’re able to log in as Administrator you can change the password of ANY account on the system.
If not, you’ll have to download and burn the Ophcrack LiveCD (for XP from here:
direct download link:
http://downloads.sourceforge.net/ophcrack/ophcrack-xp-livecd-3.6.0.iso
Boot to the LiveCD you burned from the above ISO image … and ophcrack will automagically recover the XP passwords for all accounts
there’s a tutorial here:
http://pcsupport.about.com/od/toolsofthetrade/ss/ophcracksbs.htm
I’ve NEVER had Ophcrack fail to recover an XP password … Win7 is a different matter, IIRC,I had to use Hirens for win7
Not quite sure why I’m giving Windows support on a Linux forum … and if it wasn’t for the fact Ophcrack is a Linux LiveCD I probably wouldn’t have … but I managed to convince myself there was at least a tenuous link to Linux 
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Thanks Mark, my brother’s partner managed to override it later after I posted and I have a log on on it- seems my brother didn’t have any worthy files on it- which we just wanted to know before i get it Linuxed! She went into safe mode.
It has a big screen so it will be good for watching iplayer and films. However as I expected it doesn’t play the mpeg or matroska videos.
But good news in that the portable HD ( that has my files on ) you helped me partition the other night works perfectly!
I appreciate we don’t want to talk Windows on here heh heh…
However this machine’s Windows days are numbered.
I was wondering if you’d be so kind as to give me a heads up of how suitable it will be to Peppermint 3 it please?
Here are the credentials:
Processor 3400+
1.79 Ghz, 704 mb of RAM
Hard disc drive 11.6 GB free 30. 6 GB total
File system NTFS
HP Windows XP mobile and sempron ™
Version 2002, home edition, service pack 3
Peppermint 3 will most likely be fine on it, and any problems we’ll sort them.
(extra RAM wouldn’t hurt, but Peppermint 3 will run in 704mb)
I’m still a bit baffled by this MP4/Matroska issue … I haven’t found any I can’t play.
Maybe installing the ubuntu-restricted-extras and lubuntu-restricted-extras would solve the issue.
Do you want to have a go at installing Peppermint 3 yourself ? … and possibly learn something along the way ?
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Peppermint 3 will most likely be fine on it, and any problems we'll sort them. (extra RAM wouldn't hurt, but Peppermint 3 will run in 704mb)
I could go to my computer man for RAM in the near future- he doesn’t know how to use Linux though but he is good with hardware, new batteries, accessories etc- would he need to know Linux to add the RAM or could the guys in the Linux users group do that?
I'm still a bit baffled by this MP4/Matroska issue .. I haven't found any I can't play. Maybe installing the ubuntu-restricted-extras and lubuntu-restricted-extras would solve the issue.
No, I meant this old Windows XP laptop not my Mint netbook- on the netbook the MP4s play fine it is just the matroskas going smudgy- but I think we thought that it is due to my netbook needing a bigger harddrive? Which I have and am waiting for the Linux guys to install for me.
Do you want to have a go at installing Peppermint 3 yourself ? .. and possibly learn something along the way ?
Please yes, I was just going to ask how hard or easy that was for a newbie like me! I do have a slight problem though- although the XP laptop says it is connected to the internet it isn’t- it says some sort of network error. Not sure how to fix that. I have a wi fi router box and my Linux netbook connects to it no probs.
would he need to know Linux to add the RAM or could the guys in the Linux users group do that?
Either … fitting new RAM is nothing to do with the operating system … it just plugs into the motherbaord (as long as you get the correct type)
Installing Peppermint is easy … easier than installing Windows anyway.
Have you any way of burning a CD though … and a blank CD or DVD or course ?
Ok the PC repair man could easily do the RAM later on. I have a DVD drawer in the XP laptop and it has some old windows media player on it, but cannot get the thing to connect to the internet.
EDIT: Shall I switch the XP thing on and tell you what it says when it tries to connect?
Have you got any blank CD/DVD’s ?
Yes.
On your netbook, download this file:
http://download.imgburn.com/SetupImgBurn_2.5.8.0.exe
and save it to your USB stick … so we can transfer it to the XP machine.
Ok thanks will do. Oh and would you be able to help me find out later why the XP thing won’t connect to my wi fi? i know it has the capability as my bro was using it.
I thought you were removing Windows and replacing it with Peppermint … or are you keeping Windows ?
Indeed- Windows is going! The sight of Windows XP again is not a welcome one Mark heh heh. I have saved the file to the data stick.
Check you can transfer it to the Windows PC, and let me know.
I think it has installed, tho a window did come up wanting the internet. It is trying to connect to the internet saying “status: acquiring network address.”
So you’ve installed ImgBurn on the Windows PC ?
Is ImgBurn in the menu’s and does it start ?
Yes.
OK, on the netbook, download this file DIRECTLY to the USB stick:
http://peppermintos.info/archive/Peppermint-3-20120722-i386.iso
Do you know how to download it driectly to the USB stick, so it fordn’t get saved on the netbook ?
That file is LARGE … 500 some odd meg
Should be able to Mark…BRB!
If I click save it will go straight onto my system- how do I choose to save it right to the stick?