Need Help With Computer!!!

My workplace updated their computers and I was able to bring an old one home. I did this for a secondary computer for the kids. I (a computer dummy) tried to change some settings to take off the work user profiles. Of course I screwed something up. The computer is running on Windows 2000 Professional. When the computer starts up it requires a username and password now. I don't know the password and therefore can't log on. I can't get get into safe mode by pressing the F8 key, it doesn't respond.

Can someone please give me some kind of direction on what to do to get into this computer. If you need more info, I will try my best. My kids are very upset that I screwed this thing up. PLEASE HELP ME!

What kind of computer is it? There are specific pw (pass word) disable modes for certain computers and hard drives.

However... do you know how to get into the CMOS? The "old school" screen where you can change settings like what drive boots first etc. Usually you do this by pressing ESC or DEL during set up... this is NOT safe mode.. it's the CMOS.. they are different.

IF you CAN get into CMOS.. you should be able to disable PW on start up.

Good Luck.. google your specific computer and find a help line that's more specific to it.

I don't even know what brand it is. It does not say on the unit.

Yes, I can get into CMOS. I disabled the user and supervisor passwords but i still get prompted to log on to windows. It seems the passwords are only good for getting into CMOS.

If it helps, I also have the OS disk for XP Home edition but don't know if I can do anything with that?

If you can get to CMOS, you can make it boot from CD and you can reinstall windows... that should wipe it.

As I said in PM.. there should be a Boot Options choice in the CMOS. Make the [CD] #1 and save and exit. Put the CD in before you do... then it should boot from the CD instead of the HD.

When it finds Windows OS on the CD, it should prompt you through the windows install process.

Well, now that the game is over I've tried this thing a few more times. I still can't get it to go. I saw where to make the cd #1 but it's not working. I'm wondering if the cd drive is working or not.

Can u ask your work it dept?

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Cmos editing has zero to do with OS passwords.

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I plan on asking our computer guy at work, but he's already made it clear that he really isn't a "computer guy". He does what he can and gets us by until they have to call someone in. We aren't that techy where I work.

I also read somewhere that I may need to find an older keyboard to use. I bought a new one when I brought this home because I couldn't find the old one that was used with it. The new keyboard has a usb cable while the old one had a ps2 cable (i think thats what it is called - with the round end). After reading some things, it sounds like this keyboard with the usb cable doesn't have full function until after the system is up and running. Maybe that could be why I can't get the F8 key to take me to safe mode. I guess it's worth a shot.

Thanks for the help so far. I gotta get this thing going, I'm gonna catch **** from the kids until I do. :)

[QUOTE=chaznsc;1561205]Cmos editing has zero to do with OS passwords.

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I was just telling him to re-install windows and wipe it. He said it was working before he dinked around in window's settings and it locked him out for some reason.

How can you not know what kind of computer it is? lol... there has to be a labels somewhere?

There isn't. I have checked the machine over a couple times.

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Alot of the companies I've been associated with were like you and weren't techy. They just used Admin as the user name and password as the password. Have you tried that?

I'm guessing that it won't help as it was booting before he went in to remove profiles. What u need to do is find a recovery disk such as ERD Commander. This will allow you to boot from the CD (if the optical drive is working) and reset the password for different users. This should then allow you to get into the system.

I would recommend a complete rebuild though. Win2K isn't the most user-friendly OS, but it will allow you to put some security on what your kids do.

Some issues that I see...
Your copy of WinXP, if an OEM and not a retail copy, will likely give you grief when u install it on a different computer. Also, many programs will not install or update on XP prior to Service Pack 2, and if the copy isn't "legal," the new SPs won't install.
If the puter is running Win2K, it's prolly at the end of it's life. I fully understand wanting to not spend money on an extra computer, but you need to ask yourself what you are looking to get out of it. If you want your kids to use it for a year or two, that's fine. If you are hoping to get 5 or 8 years out of it, I wouldn't count on it. Also remember that if u do get a year out of it, after that year is up you will have to transfer all of their data off of the computer to the new one, which may cost you one to four hours of time.
If they are big into music, I'm going to guess you will need a new hard drive for the unit, as the existing one will be too small (again, I'm guessing).

This is a ton of info, and it's all done on my BB, so if I was unclear or if you have questions, feel free to PM or PIN me. pin:248a5e17

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