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Windows Forum / Windows XP / Customization / November 2006Rescuing an XP machine
We 'inherited' an XP machine from a worker doing a particular project. When he left (uncontactable) there was only the Administrator user with a password. I have solved that little hurdle but now it wants to log onto an unknown domain. Can anyone help me solve this one. Thanks in advance Malcolm Easy answer. Whenever you acquire a second hand computer, by inheritance or otherwise, the very first thing you do is erase the hard disk and reinstall all the software. If you inherited a used hot dog from someone, would you eat it? Same idea with a computer. If you don't have the software, you need to buy it. That's part of the cost in acquiring a computer from someone whop doesn't include the (legitimate) software in the sale. --- Ted Zieglar "Backup is a computer user's best friend." > We 'inherited' an XP machine from a worker doing a particular project. When > he left (uncontactable) there was only the Administrator user with a [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > Malcolm That, of course, is what I usually do, but Compaqs don't appear to like you doing that. There must be something in the BIOS which makes it difficult to use anything but their recovery discs. This has retained the Administer password and associated logon. We acquired the machine quite legitimately, along with three others when we took over management of a project from the local authority. When this project ended he left and we retained the computers. The other three were perfectly sound but this one was in a mess and so required recovery. Malcolm The BIOS doesn't have anything to do with a Windows XP password. Could you be referring to the password for the BIOS itself? If the BIOS was password protected you would not, for example, be able to change the boot order to allow booting first from a Windows CD. BIOS passwords can be reset, but you need to ask Compaq how to do this. --- Ted Zieglar "Backup is a computer user's best friend." > That, of course, is what I usually do, but Compaqs don't appear to like you > doing that. There must be something in the BIOS which makes it difficult to [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Malcolm If it is the Bios password try pulling the password pin on the motherboard. the Kids at my school used to pull that prank al the time. its easy to do. Weit > The BIOS doesn't have anything to do with a Windows XP password. Could > you be referring to the password for the BIOS itself? [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > > > > Malcolm I think I've sent us all barking up the wrong tree in mentioning the BIOS - please erase that from your minds. The problem is how can I stop a machine attempting to log onto a domain when there is only the one user. Malcolm With the Network Administrator password. --- Ted Zieglar "Backup is a computer user's best friend." > I think I've sent us all barking up the wrong tree in mentioning the BIOS - > please erase that from your minds. The problem is how can I stop a machine > attempting to log onto a domain when there is only the one user. > > Malcolm > I think I've sent us all barking up the wrong tree in mentioning > the BIOS - please erase that from your minds. The problem is how > can I stop a machine attempting to log onto a domain when there is > only the one user. Log on with a local account. Remove machine from said domain (since you have a local account - but you may want to create a second local account just to be safe) if there is no need to logon to that domain.  SignatureShenan Stanley MS-MVP -- How To Ask Questions The Smart Way http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html The problem is that as soon as I enter the Administrator password an error message comes up complaining that the machine is unable to connect to the domain. There are no other users and I cannot get far enough to set one up. Malcolm You will have the choice of logging in to the domain or just to the local machine IF the original network administrator setup the computer that way. Otherwise I believe you are SOL, since the machine is looking for a network to log into. --- Ted Zieglar "Backup is a computer user's best friend." > The problem is that as soon as I enter the Administrator password an error > message comes up complaining that the machine is unable to connect to the > domain. There are no other users and I cannot get far enough to set one up. > > Malcolm |
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