(SOLVED) Adminstrative help...

[wizard10000]

Re: Adminstrative help...

So try control userpasswords2 in the run box in task manager. That should work.

If it doesn't work I'd be thinking about wiping the machine and starting over

[Telengard]

Re: Adminstrative help...

Win+R is disabled, however, I just glanced through the thread again and noticed Telengard's post about how he thought there was a run option in the task manager box. That does work so I tried regedit and msconfig, both of which were denied although with two different messages.

What were those messages?

[ardvark71]

Re: Adminstrative help...

In the run box that appears, type

control userpasswords2

You should be able to either enable the welcome screen or add a second user account there.

Bingo!

Thank you, that did it. I was able to bring up an administrator login box with that command.

Now, it's just a matter of getting the right username and password combination from the owner. Or, with her permission (and if she doesn't know it,) perhaps use a program like Ophcrack and obtain it using this method.

I appreciate your (and everyone else's) help on this!

Regards...

[ardvark71]

Re: Adminstrative help...

What were those messages?

Hi...

For regedit, it was that the function was disabled by the administrator. For msconfig, something about that the program was attempting to make changes to the system and that it was being prohibited from doing so. Although I don't understand that since msconfig, to my knowledge, doesn't change anything until the person actually applies the changes.

Regards...

[wizard10000]

Re: Adminstrative help...

Bingo!

Thank you, that did it. I was able to bring up an administrator login box with that command.

Now, it's just a matter of getting the right username and password combination from the owner. Or, with her permission (and if she doesn't know it,) perhaps use a program like Ophcrack and obtain it using this method.

I appreciate your (and everyone else's) help on this!

Regards...

I wonder if you can't just run that utility to reset policies the same way?

[ardvark71]

Re: Adminstrative help...

I wonder if you can't just run that utility to reset policies the same way?

Hi...

It's certainly possible but I do know that if I'm able to get into it and make the necessary hardware and software changes, that the owner will most likely want the current settings reinstated.

Regards...

[wizard10000]

Re: Adminstrative help...

That's probably not possible without exporting a chunk of the registry and then reimporting it after you've made the changes.

XP Home doesn't support the group policy editor so if I were you I'd write down all the restrictions that tool lists so you can put things back the way they were when you're done.

If you just need to do something quick and dirty log on as administrator - it's not possible to restrict the local administrator account with group policies - that's what keeps you from locking yourself out of your own machine

[ardvark71]

Re: Adminstrative help...

Hi....

I'm not sure if you would consider it quick and dirty but I need to install drivers for the upgraded video card and (perhaps) scanner, uninstall the current antivirus program and install a new one and possibly install a copy of XP Plus. If I can do that as Administrator and then log back out with nothing changing, I'll be happy.

Regards...

[Snowhog]

Re: Adminstrative help...

Maybe you can use the current 6.0 version of Parted Magic to remove the Administrator password - Clearing the Administrator password in Windows XP

[wizard10000]

Re: Adminstrative help...

Hi....

I'm not sure if you would consider it quick and dirty but I need to install drivers for the upgraded video card and (perhaps) scanner, uninstall the current antivirus program and install a new one and possibly install a copy of XP Plus. If I can do that as Administrator and then log back out with nothing changing, I'll be happy.

Regards...

Probably. The built-in administrator account can't be restricted by policy objects - that's to keep someone from really messing up their system. Another thing you can try is changing the Administrator password through a user login - the first user installed on an XP machine is an admin. I'm not sure you can do that, but it's worth a shot. You may have to be logged in as administrator to change that password.

The default administrator password in XP Home is a blank password. Try that first - if it doesn't work then start hollering at people for the password

[ardvark71]

Re: Adminstrative help...

The default administrator password in XP Home is a blank password. Try that first - if it doesn't work then start hollering at people for the password

Hi...

Way ahead of ya there!

The manager gave me five or six different passwords and two usernames to try out. None of them worked, in any combination. So she talked with the owner and received permission to get the passwords from the person who set this whole thing up to begin with and if that fails, use software like Ophcrack to hopefully extract what it is. The manager is supposed to e-mail the tech next week for the passwords. So we'll see how it goes.

Thank you again for your help and interest, I really do appreciate it.

Regards...

[wizard10000]

Re: Adminstrative help...

The built-in administrator account name is administrator. Any other admin account can be and probably is restricted by policy. Although the name of the built-in administrator account can be changed it can only be changed with a registry hack.

[ardvark71]

Re: Adminstrative help...

Maybe you can use the current 6.0 version of Parted Magic to remove the Administrator password - Clearing the Administrator password in Windows XP

Hi...

Thank you for your reply but I was told by the manager that the owner wants her to try and get the passwords from the tech (who I guess is in-house in a way) before trying anything else. After that, I'm not sure if changing the password is something they would want to do.

Regards...

[ardvark71]

Re: Adminstrative help...

The built-in administrator account name is administrator. Any other admin account can be and probably is restricted by policy. Although the name of the built-in administrator account can be changed it can only be changed with a registry hack.

Ahhhhh, thank you, that I did not know, although its possible the tech assigned a password to it as well. I can find out on Monday.

Happy Easter

Regards....

[ardvark71]

Re: Adminstrative help...

The built-in administrator account name is administrator. Any other admin account can be and probably is restricted by policy. Although the name of the built-in administrator account can be changed it can only be changed with a registry hack.

Hi again...

It looks like built-in administrator has been password protected as well, so I'm hoping to get those passwords within a week or two.

Regards...