Access to XP Home PC

[Guest Steve]

Hi,

 

This kind of question must have been asked a million times, but as usual

I can't find anything that helps me!

 

I've got a laptop with XP Home installed. It has one user account with

admin rights but no password (stupid, I know!). The computer used to

auto login to this account, presumably because it was the only one.

 

I then installed some software on my computer which required a reboot.

Since doing so, I am faced with a login dialog upon reboot, with my

username in the username box. However, pressing Enter (no password)

reports an incorrect password error! I've never had a password...Why has

this happened? I've tried safe mode boot up, and when asked for an

Administrator password (which I never created, Windows was

pre-installed) again, a blank entry fails.

 

I have to get some documents off the laptop quite urgently, and as I

can't login, I'm quite stuck. I took the hard disk out, and with a USB

adapter connected it to my desktop PC. However, my documents folder is

inaccessible, Access Denied.

 

Any advice you can offer to either log back in, or access My Documents

would be gratefully received.

 

Many thanks for reading,

S

[Guest smlunatick]

Re: Access to XP Home PC

 

On Mar 12, 8:16 am, Steve <no...@nowhere.com> wrote:

> Hi,

>

> This kind of question must have been asked a million times, but as usual

> I can't find anything that helps me!

>

> I've got a laptop with XP Home installed. It has one user account with

> admin rights but no password (stupid, I know!). The computer used to

> auto login to this account, presumably because it was the only one.

>

> I then installed some software on my computer which required a reboot.

> Since doing so, I am faced with a login dialog upon reboot, with my

> username in the username box. However, pressing Enter (no password)

> reports an incorrect password error! I've never had a password...Why has

> this happened? I've tried safe mode boot up, and when asked for an

> Administrator password (which I never created, Windows was

> pre-installed) again, a blank entry fails.

>

> I have to get some documents off the laptop quite urgently, and as I

> can't login, I'm quite stuck. I took the hard disk out, and with a USB

> adapter connected it to my desktop PC. However, my documents folder is

> inaccessible, Access Denied.

>

> Any advice you can offer to either log back in, or access My Documents

> would be gratefully received.

>

> Many thanks for reading,

> S

 

Try a password with one <space> in it.

[Guest Steve]

Re: Access to XP Home PC

 

smlunatick wrote:

>

> Try a password with one <space> in it.

 

Hi, thanks for the advice. Unfortunately no joy with either my account

or the admin account.

 

Thanks again,

S

[Guest John John]

Re: Access to XP Home PC

 

Steve wrote:

> Hi,

>

> This kind of question must have been asked a million times, but as usual

> I can't find anything that helps me!

>

> I've got a laptop with XP Home installed. It has one user account with

> admin rights but no password (stupid, I know!). The computer used to

> auto login to this account, presumably because it was the only one.

>

> I then installed some software on my computer which required a reboot.

> Since doing so, I am faced with a login dialog upon reboot, with my

> username in the username box. However, pressing Enter (no password)

> reports an incorrect password error! I've never had a password...Why has

> this happened? I've tried safe mode boot up, and when asked for an

> Administrator password (which I never created, Windows was

> pre-installed) again, a blank entry fails.

>

> I have to get some documents off the laptop quite urgently, and as I

> can't login, I'm quite stuck. I took the hard disk out, and with a USB

> adapter connected it to my desktop PC. However, my documents folder is

> inaccessible, Access Denied.

 

Put the drive back in the USB enclosure and then from the desktop take

ownership of the files and you will be able to access them.

 

How to take ownership of a file or folder in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308421

 

After you have secured your files you can put the disk back in the

laptop and use this to see if you can overcome the password problem:

 

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

 

John

[Guest Malke]

Re: Access to XP Home PC

 

Steve wrote:

> Hi,

>

> This kind of question must have been asked a million times, but as usual

> I can't find anything that helps me!

>

> I've got a laptop with XP Home installed. It has one user account with

> admin rights but no password (stupid, I know!). The computer used to

> auto login to this account, presumably because it was the only one.

>

> I then installed some software on my computer which required a reboot.

> Since doing so, I am faced with a login dialog upon reboot, with my

> username in the username box. However, pressing Enter (no password)

> reports an incorrect password error! I've never had a password...Why has

> this happened? I've tried safe mode boot up, and when asked for an

> Administrator password (which I never created, Windows was

> pre-installed) again, a blank entry fails.

>

> I have to get some documents off the laptop quite urgently, and as I

> can't login, I'm quite stuck. I took the hard disk out, and with a USB

> adapter connected it to my desktop PC. However, my documents folder is

> inaccessible, Access Denied.

 

To fix the "access denied" error while copying the files from your working

XP install you simply need to take ownership of them.

 

Take Ownership of a File or Folder in Windows XP [Q308421] -

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=308421

 

How Do I Get the Security tab in Folder Properties? -

http://www.dougknox.com/xp/tips/xp_security_tab.htm

 

As to why you apparently have a password now, perhaps your computer was

infected when you installed whatever it was you installed. There is no way

for me to tell. If you can't even get into the built-in Administrator

account, you might try using NTpasswd to change the built-in Administrator

account (or your user account if it has administrative privileges) back to

a blank.

 

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

 

Or it might be worth trying to boot to Last Known Good Configuration in case

there was a registry problem after installing the Mystery Program.

 

Malke

--

MS-MVP

Elephant Boy Computers

http://www.elephantboycomputers.com

Don't Panic!

[Guest Steve]

Re: Access to XP Home PC

 

Steve wrote:

 

<SNIP>

>

> Any advice you can offer to either log back in, or access My Documents

> would be gratefully received.

>

> Many thanks for reading,

> S

 

 

Brilliant, many thanks guys.

 

Got my files back and cleared the password so can log in. However, one

more thing.

 

Since taking ownership of my documents and settings folder on the laptop

drive, I can no longer access it on the laptop. As it's XP home, I also

can't appear to re-claim ownership of the folder.

 

How'd I fix this one?

 

Thanks again folks, I greatly appreciate your time.

 

S

[Guest Malke]

Re: Access to XP Home PC

 

Steve wrote:

>

> Brilliant, many thanks guys.

>

> Got my files back and cleared the password so can log in. However, one

> more thing.

>

> Since taking ownership of my documents and settings folder on the laptop

> drive, I can no longer access it on the laptop. As it's XP home, I also

> can't appear to re-claim ownership of the folder.

>

> How'd I fix this one?

 

Look at the instructions for the Security tab link I gave you again. For XP

Home, you need to boot into Safe Mode to get the Security tab (and the

drive needs to be NTFS). So do that and put the ownership back to the

correct user account.

 

Malke

--

MS-MVP

Elephant Boy Computers

http://www.elephantboycomputers.com

Don't Panic!

[Guest Steve]

Re: Access to XP Home PC

 

Malke wrote:

> Steve wrote:

>> Brilliant, many thanks guys.

>>

>> Got my files back and cleared the password so can log in. However, one

>> more thing.

>>

>> Since taking ownership of my documents and settings folder on the laptop

>> drive, I can no longer access it on the laptop. As it's XP home, I also

>> can't appear to re-claim ownership of the folder.

>>

>> How'd I fix this one?

>

> Look at the instructions for the Security tab link I gave you again. For XP

> Home, you need to boot into Safe Mode to get the Security tab (and the

> drive needs to be NTFS). So do that and put the ownership back to the

> correct user account.

>

> Malke

 

Hi Malke,

 

I hate people that ask questions then don't read the answers

properly...apologies for that!! <g>

 

Now then, I've done as instructed, and followed both methods (the safe

mode method and the installation of extra bits method) to obtain the

security tab. I have that now and can set permissions, but it only seems

to affect a few folders and their subfolders. For example, my start menu

and all sub menus are accessible within docs and settings, but

application data isn't. I have to go to security for each folder and set

access rights each time...it never replicates thru the subfolders

irrespective of what settings I choose.

 

Any ideas?

 

Thanks again

S

[Guest John John]

Re: Access to XP Home PC

 

Steve wrote:

> Malke wrote:

>

>> Steve wrote:

>>

>>> Brilliant, many thanks guys.

>>>

>>> Got my files back and cleared the password so can log in. However, one

>>> more thing.

>>>

>>> Since taking ownership of my documents and settings folder on the laptop

>>> drive, I can no longer access it on the laptop. As it's XP home, I also

>>> can't appear to re-claim ownership of the folder.

>>>

>>> How'd I fix this one?

>>

>>

>> Look at the instructions for the Security tab link I gave you again.

>> For XP

>> Home, you need to boot into Safe Mode to get the Security tab (and the

>> drive needs to be NTFS). So do that and put the ownership back to the

>> correct user account.

>>

>> Malke

>

>

> Hi Malke,

>

> I hate people that ask questions then don't read the answers

> properly...apologies for that!! <g>

>

> Now then, I've done as instructed, and followed both methods (the safe

> mode method and the installation of extra bits method) to obtain the

> security tab. I have that now and can set permissions, but it only seems

> to affect a few folders and their subfolders. For example, my start menu

> and all sub menus are accessible within docs and settings, but

> application data isn't. I have to go to security for each folder and set

> access rights each time...it never replicates thru the subfolders

> irrespective of what settings I choose.

>

> Any ideas?

 

Run this at a Command Prompt:

 

cacls c:\ /t /e /g Administrators:f

 

This will give full rights to all the files and folders on drive C: to

the Administrators group, any member to this group will then have full

rights to the files.

 

To grant full rights to a specific user issue the command with the

user's name:

 

cacls c:\ /t /e /g Steve:f

 

will grant Steve full rights to all the files and folders on C:. If the

user name has spaces you must surround it with quotation marks:

 

cacls c:\ /t /e /g "Some User":f

 

John

[Guest Steve]

Re: Access to XP Home PC

 

John John wrote:

> Steve wrote:

>> Malke wrote:

>>

>>> Steve wrote:

 

<SNIP>

>>

>> Any ideas?

>

> Run this at a Command Prompt:

>

> cacls c:\ /t /e /g Administrators:f

>

> This will give full rights to all the files and folders on drive C: to

> the Administrators group, any member to this group will then have full

> rights to the files.

>

> To grant full rights to a specific user issue the command with the

> user's name:

>

> cacls c:\ /t /e /g Steve:f

>

> will grant Steve full rights to all the files and folders on C:. If the

> user name has spaces you must surround it with quotation marks:

>

> cacls c:\ /t /e /g "Some User":f

>

> John

>

 

Ahh, that's done it, thanks John. Had to use the /c switch too tho as a

couple of files/folders returned Access Denied. At least docs and sets

is freed up now.

 

Still puzzled at how it happened, done a full scan while it was

connected to desktop via USB. Oh well!

 

Thanks again all, another set of tools to keep hold of.

 

S

[Guest John John]

Re: Access to XP Home PC

 

Steve wrote:

> John John wrote:

>> Run this at a Command Prompt:

>>

>> cacls c:\ /t /e /g Administrators:f

>>

>> This will give full rights to all the files and folders on drive C: to

>> the Administrators group, any member to this group will then have full

>> rights to the files.

>>

>> To grant full rights to a specific user issue the command with the

>> user's name:

>>

>> cacls c:\ /t /e /g Steve:f

>>

>> will grant Steve full rights to all the files and folders on C:. If

>> the user name has spaces you must surround it with quotation marks:

>>

>> cacls c:\ /t /e /g "Some User":f

>>

>> John

>>

>

> Ahh, that's done it, thanks John. Had to use the /c switch too tho as a

> couple of files/folders returned Access Denied. At least docs and sets

> is freed up now.

>

> Still puzzled at how it happened, done a full scan while it was

> connected to desktop via USB. Oh well!

>

> Thanks again all, another set of tools to keep hold of.

 

You're welcome, glad to see that things are back to normal.

 

John

[Guest Bruce Chambers]

Re: Access to XP Home PC

 

Steve wrote:

> Hi,

>

> This kind of question must have been asked a million times, but as usual

> I can't find anything that helps me!

>

> I've got a laptop with XP Home installed. It has one user account with

> admin rights but no password (stupid, I know!). The computer used to

> auto login to this account, presumably because it was the only one.

>

> I then installed some software on my computer which required a reboot.

> Since doing so, I am faced with a login dialog upon reboot, with my

> username in the username box. However, pressing Enter (no password)

> reports an incorrect password error! I've never had a password...Why has

> this happened? I've tried safe mode boot up, and when asked for an

> Administrator password (which I never created, Windows was

> pre-installed) again, a blank entry fails.

>

> I have to get some documents off the laptop quite urgently, and as I

> can't login, I'm quite stuck. I took the hard disk out, and with a USB

> adapter connected it to my desktop PC. However, my documents folder is

> inaccessible, Access Denied.

>

> Any advice you can offer to either log back in, or access My Documents

> would be gratefully received.

>

> Many thanks for reading,

> S

 

 

Simply log in using the built-in Administrator account (which

cannot be deleted) and modify the desired account(s) and use Start > Run

> "control userpasswords2" to modify the desired account(s).

 

Unless you've set the built-in Administrator's password via the

Management Console (_not_ the Control Panel), it's probably still blank.

WinXP Pro asks the user to set the Administrator's password during

installation, but WinXP Home doesn't.

 

By design, the only way to log into the Administrator account of

WinXP Home is to reboot into Safe Mode. For WinXP Pro, pressing

CTRL+ALT+DEL twice at the Welcome Screen will produce the standard login

dialog box.

 

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;Q321305

 

Failing that, Linux-based password cracking utilities abound on the

Internet, freely available to anyone who can use Google.

 

 

 

--

 

Bruce Chambers

 

Help us help you:

http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

 

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

 

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

 

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has

killed a great many philosophers.

~ Denis Diderot

[Guest smlunatick]

Re: Access to XP Home PC

 

On Mar 12, 8:13 pm, Bruce Chambers <bchamb...@cable0ne.n3t> wrote:

> Steve wrote:

> > Hi,

>

> > This kind of question must have been asked a million times, but as usual

> > I can't find anything that helps me!

>

> > I've got a laptop with XP Home installed. It has one user account with

> > admin rights but no password (stupid, I know!). The computer used to

> > auto login to this account, presumably because it was the only one.

>

> > I then installed some software on my computer which required a reboot.

> > Since doing so, I am faced with a login dialog upon reboot, with my

> > username in the username box. However, pressing Enter (no password)

> > reports an incorrect password error! I've never had a password...Why has

> > this happened? I've tried safe mode boot up, and when asked for an

> > Administrator password (which I never created, Windows was

> > pre-installed) again, a blank entry fails.

>

> > I have to get some documents off the laptop quite urgently, and as I

> > can't login, I'm quite stuck. I took the hard disk out, and with a USB

> > adapter connected it to my desktop PC. However, my documents folder is

> > inaccessible, Access Denied.

>

> > Any advice you can offer to either log back in, or access My Documents

> > would be gratefully received.

>

> > Many thanks for reading,

> > S

>

>      Simply log in using the built-in Administrator account (which

> cannot be deleted) and modify the desired account(s) and use Start > Run

>  > "control userpasswords2" to modify the desired account(s).

>

>      Unless you've set the built-in Administrator's password via the

> Management Console (_not_ the Control Panel), it's probably still blank.

>   WinXP Pro asks the user to set the Administrator's password during

> installation, but WinXP Home doesn't.

>

>      By design, the only way to log into the Administrator account of

> WinXP Home is to reboot into Safe Mode.  For WinXP Pro, pressing

> CTRL+ALT+DEL twice at the Welcome Screen will produce the standard login

> dialog box.

>

> How to Log On to Windows XP If You Forget Your Password or  Your

> Password Expireshttp://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q321305

>

>      Failing that, Linux-based password cracking utilities abound on the

> Internet, freely available to anyone who can use Google.

>

> --

>

> Bruce Chambers

>

> Help us help you:http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

>

> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

>

> 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

>

> The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has

> killed a great many philosophers.

> ~ Denis Diderot- Hide quoted text -

>

> - Show quoted text -

 

"control userpasswords2" seems to only be available in XP Pro

(MCE???) and NOT HOME.