He can still run and access his program on old Gateway, but his friend said it was about to crash. He must keep all the files for records for the state of Tennessee purposes.
The program people said it was compatible with windows Vista years ago. Well the programmer has now passed away.
He bought a new windows vista PC.
We took the old hard drive out and copied it into a file folder we created in the C:\ drive. We copied the ENTIRE C:\ drive into a new file folder instead of certain files only thinking we might miss a file and it would not run.
All files look good, so we created an desktop icon for the file called smiplot40.exe.
We we run it, it asks for name, company, password. He does not know his password because when he gets on the old computer and clicks the icon, the program automatically pulls up.
My question is since he paid for the license already and does not and can't upgrade, then how can we determine the cached .pwl file password for that application is from the old computer?
Maybe using DOS to retrieve it would work. We feel like if we can decrypt it, it really wouldn't be illegal since he already owns the software, just updating his computer. He does not have internet access, so I have a flash drive or memory stick usb to copy things (if needed) from my personal laptop and download it in his new computer.
We tried emailed the company to send him a password or code, but haven't heard back from them.
We tried finding the task manager under processes, click on program, set affinity, uncheck co1. It didn't work.
We tried installing JAVA using my memory stick and it downloaded properly, but we still couldn't access the smiplot40.exe file.
We tried extracting another zipped file we found with the same name smiplot40 and tried opening it and it read "missing regex.dll" and wouldn't open.
We tried downloading a regex.dll file to my computer and using flash drive to install it to his new computer (that has no internet) and it said it could not continue installation without being connected to the internet.
We tried to figure out how to bypass the registration form asking for the password, but had no luck.
We tried looking at the new computer's c:\cmd then type dir *.exe and could not find any .exe files. Found Cain & Abel recovery, but not sure if it works.
We tried cmd-------net user-----net user administrator active:yes---------------net user administrator *----------created new password-------reenter new password============but all that didn't work either, still wants registrator form password. He just never knew he needed it since the old computer always pulls up properly------yes still pulls up properly, but new computer won't.
We are not sure if we have the new computer set up completely correct in order for it to read all those files.
We know the all the files copied, but not sure why the MAIN file we need is asking for a password b/c it didn't ask for one on the old computer.
We are planning on trying to adjust Regedit.exe file, but don't know how.
We were planning on trying to adjust the FAT file, but don't know how.
We didn't know if we can retrieve the password in safe mode or not.
Please help, he is already backed up for 6 jobs, but can't complete them until he gets the new computer working. Then his HPDesignJet 450C hugh printer for land surveys needs a new driver and we can't find one.
Thanks so much for any input, recommendations, suggestions, anything would help.