No password

[kim]

Hi, I`ve been given a dell dimension 2400, it has all the Dell CDs with it
but when it starts up it asks me to log on and I don`t know what the
password is. I tried the clear password jumper on the mother board but this
didn`t make any difference. Will I have to reinstall windows xp home or is
there another way round this ?
Thanks
Kim

[TaurArian [MS-MVP]]

How to Log On to Windows XP If You Forget Your Password or Your Password Expires
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;321305

Note: For WinXP Home - you log in as Administrator in Safe Mode (hopefully a password
wasn't set on that account).

The other alternative, is contact the person who gave you the computer for the password.

--

====================================
TaurArian [MS-MVP] 2005-2007 - Australia
====================================
How to make a good post: http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
Backup and data recovery: http://www.acronis.com/
Enhancing file system performance: http://www.diskeeper.com/defrag.asp


"kim" > wrote in message
...
| Hi, I`ve been given a dell dimension 2400, it has all the Dell CDs with it
| but when it starts up it asks me to log on and I don`t know what the
| password is. I tried the clear password jumper on the mother board but this
| didn`t make any difference. Will I have to reinstall windows xp home or is
| there another way round this ?
| Thanks
| Kim
|
|

[kim]

Thanks for that TaurArian, There was no password set for administrator which
is just as well because the other alternative is quite impossible unless you
know of a good medium.

"TaurArian [MS-MVP]" > wrote in message
...
>
> How to Log On to Windows XP If You Forget Your Password or Your Password
Expires
> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;321305
>
> Note: For WinXP Home - you log in as Administrator in Safe Mode (hopefully
a password
> wasn't set on that account).
>
> The other alternative, is contact the person who gave you the computer for
the password.
>
> --
>
> ====================================
> TaurArian [MS-MVP] 2005-2007 - Australia
> ====================================
> How to make a good post: http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
> Backup and data recovery: http://www.acronis.com/
> Enhancing file system performance: http://www.diskeeper.com/defrag.asp
>
>
> "kim" > wrote in message
> ...
> | Hi, I`ve been given a dell dimension 2400, it has all the Dell CDs with
it
> | but when it starts up it asks me to log on and I don`t know what the
> | password is. I tried the clear password jumper on the mother board but
this
> | didn`t make any difference. Will I have to reinstall windows xp home or
is
> | there another way round this ?
> | Thanks
> | Kim
> |
> |
>
>

[Harry Ohrn]

NO need for ESP you can blank out the administrator password using a
password hack like this one
www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/Tools/NTPASSWORD/ntpasswordhack.zip

--


Harry Ohrn MS MVP [Shell\User]
www.webtree.ca/windowsxp


"kim" > wrote in message
...
> Thanks for that TaurArian, There was no password set for administrator
> which
> is just as well because the other alternative is quite impossible unless
> you
> know of a good medium.
>
> "TaurArian [MS-MVP]" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>> How to Log On to Windows XP If You Forget Your Password or Your Password
> Expires
>> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;321305
>>
>> Note: For WinXP Home - you log in as Administrator in Safe Mode
>> (hopefully
> a password
>> wasn't set on that account).
>>
>> The other alternative, is contact the person who gave you the computer
>> for
> the password.
>>
>> --
>>
>> ====================================
>> TaurArian [MS-MVP] 2005-2007 - Australia
>> ====================================
>> How to make a good post: http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
>> Backup and data recovery: http://www.acronis.com/
>> Enhancing file system performance: http://www.diskeeper.com/defrag.asp
>>
>>
>> "kim" > wrote in message
>> ...
>> | Hi, I`ve been given a dell dimension 2400, it has all the Dell CDs with
> it
>> | but when it starts up it asks me to log on and I don`t know what the
>> | password is. I tried the clear password jumper on the mother board but
> this
>> | didn`t make any difference. Will I have to reinstall windows xp home or
> is
>> | there another way round this ?
>> | Thanks
>> | Kim
>> |
>> |
>>
>>
>
>

[Ken Blake, MVP]

kim wrote:

> Hi, I`ve been given a dell dimension 2400, it has all the Dell CDs
> with it but when it starts up it asks me to log on and I don`t know
> what the password is. I tried the clear password jumper on the mother
> board but this didn`t make any difference. Will I have to reinstall
> windows xp home or is there another way round this ?



Although there may be another way around it, I strongly recommend that
you*do* reinstall Windows from scratch.

Not knowing the password may be the least of your troubles.

If I acquired a used computer, the first thing I would do with it would be
to reinstall the operating system cleanly. You have no idea how the computer
has been maintained, what has been installed incorrectly, what is missing,
what viruses and spyware there may be, etc. I wouldn't want to live with
somebody else's mistakes and problems, possibility of kiddie porn, etc., and
I wouldn't recommend that anyone else do either.

--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
Please reply to the newsgroup

[Poprivet]

kim wrote:
> Hi, I`ve been given a dell dimension 2400, it has all the Dell CDs
> with it but when it starts up it asks me to log on and I don`t know
> what the password is. I tried the clear password jumper on the mother
> board but this didn`t make any difference. Will I have to reinstall
> windows xp home or is there another way round this ?
> Thanks
> Kim

Have you tried just entering your user name and then hitting return? If no
password is set, you don't have to enter one.

Pop`

[Bruce Chambers]

kim wrote:
> Hi, I`ve been given a dell dimension 2400, it has all the Dell CDs with it
> but when it starts up it asks me to log on and I don`t know what the
> password is. I tried the clear password jumper on the mother board but this
> didn`t make any difference. Will I have to reinstall windows xp home or is
> there another way round this ?
> Thanks
> Kim
>
>


Why can't you ask whomever gave you the computer for the password?

Anyway, with second-hand computers, especially if acquired from
strangers but perhaps even if acquired from a family member or friend,
your wisest course of action would definitely be to format the hard
drives and start fresh. You don't want to get in trouble because the
original owner may have filled the hard drive with kiddie porn, or have
problems because the original owner downloaded/installed viruses or
other malware.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell