Lost Computer Password

[llamagramma]

Does anyone know how to break into a computer if the password that was put in has been forgotten?    A friend's 34 year old wife passed away Nov 2nd and she had been writing a journal on her computer about her illness.  Now her husband is trying to get the journal out.  It is a Dell computer, but she never registered it with Dell, so they can not retrieve the password for him.  I know he can format it and start over, but he wants her journal.   You can send me an IM or email deerci@yahoo.com.  Thanks for any help.

[Rennhack]

If he is an administrator, he can view all of her files.  He just needs to log in as himself, or an administrator and search for the files, most probably some where like:

c:/documents and settings/user name/documents/

Or some such.

[McBride]

What is the Operating System.  Most are Windows, and are fairly easy to hack.  Say it is Windows XP.  From another PC, you can find a hack by going to a search engine (Google, Yahoo, ask, etc.) and entering Windowss XP lost password.

If you give us the version of Windows, the people on this board will be able to help.

Here are a few links that may prove helpful
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/321305
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/312243/hacking_win_xp_password/
http://www.petri.co.il/forgot_administrator_password.htm

Let me know if that helps.  I recently lost a Brother and had to do the same with his PC.  Unfortunately, he didn't leave us much of a journal.

May the Lord bless your friend, and bring that family peace during the upcoming Christmas season, and beyond.

McBride

[llamagramma]

Thanks for the info Mike and McBride.  I am sending him an email to let him know.  He might just sign up on Nukeworker and post for himself now.  If not, I will still relay messages. Sharon

[lunchbox]

1st of all i just want to thank everyone that has posted (especially Sharon) and that will hopefully post a response.

The problem isnt  windows XP, the problem is the password is on the bios. I will try to tell you everything i can about jennifers laptop. It is a dell inspiron 1000, with phoenix bios. We both had our own computers, so i never used her laptop. There was never a reason for me to get on her work computer (ironically she worked for gateway).

I would assume i could flash the bios, but will that take the pass away, and if it wont boot (because of the password) how do i flash them? When i turn on the computer it shows the dell screen and then straight to a password.

I have taken the computer apart, and have found the jumper pins, they are on the underside near the RAM and there is a set of 3 (total of 6) There is no jumpers on any of them. I tried to use a piece of foil to short them out in every possible configuration but still..no dice!

Thank you again for all your help and look forward to an answer.

Peter

[Stngray]

You could try pulling the hard drive out and putting it in another laptop, and boot up from there. Then you dont have to even worry about the bios.

[lunchbox]

i would like to have the laptop working at some point again also, i am going to grab an external HD and hok it to my computer tonight..i never did think of doing that until someone else suggested it

[Evilpixie]

You can also remove and reinstall the battery used to maintain the BIOS configuration, that will clear any password settings.

here are some instructions:

http://articles.techrepublic.com.com/5100-1035_11-1032878.html

[spencer08la]

Can you please tell me how to break the password.Actually i have forgotten the password of my office pc so i need help.