[ynape]

I am trying to assist, my folks with their new PC. It was an Xmas gift and they are both 80 and pc illiterate. [my dad says happily so.. but thats another time]. Each time I visit I always take at least a quick look to make sure it is running smoothly, get the updates for the O/S, Off applications and of course Protection applications - which at this point is dwindling because all the lovely time trial softwares are now at their expiration/purchase points.

It is a lovely piece of [overpriced] hardware that my dad purchased on the advise of a friend from the local warehouse store. [Costco] Name brand Sony - expensive - it must be the perfect gift. ALl for my step mom who would just like a simple system to do her basic word processing/spread sheet needs on to run their household and financial affairs and perhaps get on line occasionally and eventually learn email on a pc. She is a mailbug user and thinks its great. Well It is a Sony VAIO PCV_RS710 Series. Running XPPro. Although I feel pretty comfortable with my system and I too run XPPro Corp do a lot of on line research, I am more sw oriented and have a rudimentary hd understanding.I fully appreciate the dangers of system corruption and importance of Anti Virus spyware adware tools I am not a gamer or multimedia person although I am leaning toward web dev apps. I am completely unfamiliar with the SONY VAIO systems but this pc of hardware seems to be an audio video multimedia dream machine. The only draw back I see AND it is my BIG dislike on all such like it, is that it is Proprietary to itself - if it could do with out microsoft it would really be happy I am sure [like aohell] I don't like the fact that the os is preinstalled prior to purchase. . . . . . . . .AND now the reason for my post. . . . . finallly!!
Because I want to do some basic maintenace this visit home and wanting to add some free tools [ie avg free adawarese noadware spyware blaster spysubtract spybotSnD etc] to safeguard her system from nuisance issues and more dangerous problems, I went to go to the admin profile - like I would at home and of course after loging out of her profile, and doing the ctrl-alt-del combo 2 times and typing in Administrator It occurs to me [ and yes it took me that long to actually catch on] I remembered I wasn't the installer and I wasnt there when the system asked for an admin password. So can anyone help me with this ?? Do I have to allow the unknown legions to think they know best for me and what I want to do with my system and remain with others in control? Is there a way to actually find out what the password is? Or can I create a new one with out the old one. MY bag of tricks is empty on this one. But I am betting you guys have a bigger bag of tricks. I have followed many threads in the forum topics and have received a huge education and even validation for some of my own ideas for about 3 mo now and you guys are just so great - I haven't seen one topic that wasn't resolved and had a very happy camper at the end. I hope I have posted in the correct topic . I wasn't sure if it was a hardware issue or just namebrand policy. So I opted for the OS. Let me know if you need something else I hope you will understand if I say I cant get a lot of system info if I don't know what you need todayBe back b4 end of june thanks for everything - ynape

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goodness, that was long.

I find it hard to believe a sony vaio was installed with Windows Xp Pro...oh well

IF your mothers user account is an administrator account, you can

start > run, type
CONTROL USERPASSWORDS2
<enter>

this will pop up a USER ACCOUNTs dialogue box that will allow you to change the administrator password---that is IF your mothers account is an administrator...if not, that will nto work

If your mother's account is not an admiministator account, you can download the following :

http://home.eunet.no...rdahl/ntpasswd/

this will allow you to blank the password, then create your own

[gerryf]

goodness, that was long.

I find it hard to believe a sony vaio was installed with Windows Xp Pro...oh well

IF your mothers user account is an administrator account, you can

start > run, type
CONTROL USERPASSWORDS2
<enter>

this will pop up a USER ACCOUNTs dialogue box that will allow you to change the administrator password---that is IF your mothers account is an administrator...if not, that will nto work

If your mother's account is not an admiministator account, you can download the following :

http://home.eunet.no...rdahl/ntpasswd/

this will allow you to blank the password, then create your own

[ynape]

Oh I am so sorry you are right - Very long day already it is runningXP home and I apologize for not looking first - won't happen again - I hope the instructions you just laid out for me will still apply? yes no?
ynape
and wow what a speedy answer

[ynape]

sorry - yes she does have administrator as her user group-ynape

[gerryf]

if it is XP Home, the password is blank...meaning NOTHING, don't insert anything

If she or someone added one, then the cd solution in the link will work still---just blank the password rather than change it.

I don't think
control userpasswords2
works on XP Home

don't have xp home to test it at the moment

[ynape]

thanks for the assist - I have to run an errand for them and I will check it out when I return. Ill post the results and let ya know
You guys are just the best - I knew you had some cool tricks in your toybag - some for now - some for later thanks

[ynape]

Okay I just tried the leave the password blank thing and I was denied due to permissions - so rather than embarass myself again. And to not waste your time with mis- or incomplete- information, How should I confirm the permissions granted to her profile even tho it says 'administrator' . {I really love learning new stuff}

[ynape]

Sorry its been a week - I haven't returned to my folks house where the system we are discussing is located. But I am headed there in a few days and will be trying your suggestions again. I did seem to have some difficulty with the link you sent however. I am not actually sure what it is I am supposed to be downloading? Am I looking to download an actual tool or program ? Or just a series of steps of instructions ? Or both ? - I just hope to be better prepared when I get there - thanks, ynape

[gerryf]

cd050303.zip

download the above file, unzip it. This is a cd image and the easiest way to work.

The system you are on is XP? The easiest way to burn is to dowload the iso burner powertoy

http://isorecorder.a...isorecorder.htm

install the correct one for your system (one is for sp1 and one for sp2)

reboot

insert blank disk

right click the file you extracted above, you will see BURN ISO

choose it....let it do it's thing

reboot affect machine with cd in it....this will boot the nt password reset

READ THE INSTRUCTION CAREFULLY. Go SLOW...DO NOT JUST CLICK ENTER ENTER ENTER ENTER, or you will screw it up

[ynape]

Just read your instructions and they seem pretty straight forward.

Just to be clear - I am at home on my system which is running XPPro sp1
the affected machine is running XPHome [sp2 I think but will doublecheck when I get there].

If it helps or makes anything easier, I have Nero software on my system, INCD4 ver 4.3.14.1 also Nero Express and Nero Burning Rom I am not completely versed in the different formats but I think I understand about the ISO type and know that Nero Burning Rom does offer that as a recording choice. Would this be acceptable ? I don't have any objections to downloading the ISO burner you mentioned if it is preferred. If I download this burner, re the selection of SP1 or SP2 - the system It will be downloaded ON to and Run on is 'SP1' [mine] the system the CD will be USED on is 'SP2' [theirs]

Just to make sure I am interpreting your instructions correctly When I choose, I would be selecting the download for my 'SP1' system, yes?

I will check back here for any more instructions, before I download and after I read the page again incase I have any more questions - thanks - ynape

[gerryf]

nero is fine as long as you know how to burn an iso with it...the method changed from nero 5 to nero 6--it is not the same as burning a file to a disk.

check the help file

[ynape]

Sorry to leave this hanging for sooooo long. Just want to thank you all for your efforts but I am afraid this particular project has been put on hold for lack of a better explanation. It is possible I may have the opportunity to resume it again sometime in the future but when is not known at this time. This is a machine/system is at my parents home, and due to distance and poor health [theirs] I am afraid that at this time, it has not been on the priority list when I am visiting out there.
Thanks again - Melody aka ynape