[msfiscal]

Hello,

I have a computer that was given to me by a company that upgraded their units. The hard drive is passowrd protected. I want to reload the operating system and let my daughter use the computer. Can it be done even though I can't access the current operating system? If so, how?

Thanks for your help.

msfiscal

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if you purchase a copy of XP (or whatever operating system you choose) you will be able to format the hard drive during the OS install...this would remove anything on the drive (should) if it doesn't google dban and download that and follow the instructions to make a bootable disk..dban will completely wipe anything on the drive and should allow you to reinstall the os

[dsenette]

if you purchase a copy of XP (or whatever operating system you choose) you will be able to format the hard drive during the OS install...this would remove anything on the drive (should) if it doesn't google dban and download that and follow the instructions to make a bootable disk..dban will completely wipe anything on the drive and should allow you to reinstall the os

[msfiscal]

Thank you for your information.

I think I wasn't clear enough. The OS stops at the password prompt and doesn't completely load to access the hard drive at all. I just want to get past the password so I can use the computer, so I was hoping reloading the OS would solve that problem. The company I got the unit from said the woman who had been using it was no longer with them so they didn't know how to log in.

Sorry for the incomplete info....


msfiscal

[dsenette]

....i find it highly unlikely that no one in the company would know what the administrator password to a system that they owned was...

[dsenette]

is this xp pro or home?

[msfiscal]

Thanks again for your prompt reply.

I want to load my windows 2000 that I have left over from a company I used to work for.

The computer came froma ocmpany that my friend owns. And yes, they do not have the paswword. It wasn't networked. The computer was running windows 98 and it's old.

If you believe that I'm trying to break into a computer I understand if you don't want to help me. I just wanted to know if I can overwrite/wash the drive clean so I can use it.

Thanks for any help you can provide.

msfiscal

[dsenette]

....get y our info straight...my first suggestion was for wiping the hard drive and starting over...to which y ou replied that you just wanted to log into the current operating system...what do you actually want to do?

[msfiscal]

Thank you for your prompt reply.

Sorry I'm not that technical to express exactly what I wanted.

Yes I want to wipre the drive clean.

I will follow your first suggestion.

Thanks !!

msfiscal

[WindyPants]

http://dban.sourceforge.net/

Follow the instructions and you are golden.

[dsenette]

that's like the third easiest url on the internet and i can't EVER remember it...thanks windy

[msfiscal]

Thanks to the both of you.

I will try the fix in the next couple of days and report back the results.

Thanks again,

msfiscal