[hoopdub2]

Hi all. I have a bit of a problem in work. the PC I use has 2 users set up on it, the Admin account and a non admin account. for the past 12 months I have been using the non admin account. I have not been able to install programmes or change some settings due to no one remembering the Admin password. last night a windows update happened, on start up this morning I had a black screen and asked me to press F1 to start. now the date and time are wrong, and it wont let me change it as I am not Admin.

 

this pc is sat in our workshop for employees to use for work purposes. The problem we have is no one remembers the Admin password, the bass cant remember and he has tried all he can, I have tried guessing it with related industry terms. also some employees who may have had the password are now no longer employed.

 

I have tried to find ways of revealing it, using CMD and various other paths google has sent me down, all to no avail.

 

I realy would like to install some new programs on this pc, and my boss is sick of me asking him to remember the password LOL.

 

I have been looking at wiping windows 7 and reinstalling, but we have no product key!! typical. I have tried to download a program that would reveal the product key, but guess what, you need to be Admin to install the program ARGH!!!

 

does anyone have anything I can do to sort this? i know a request for a new pc will not go down well with the boss

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wahey have found the product id and product key. is it just a case of wiping the hd and reinstalling?

[hoopdub2]

wahey have found the product id and product key. is it just a case of wiping the hd and reinstalling?

[Aura]

Hi hoopdub2

GeeksToGo doesn't help with cases of lost passwords or lost credentials, since we cannot verify the ownership and permission of a person over the Internet, we just don't provide assistance when it comes to that kind of issue.

Due to the nature of online help we are not able to verify ownership, and will not be able to help bypass or recover any user passwords, cd keys, license codes, serial numbers, etc.

Source: http://www.geekstogo...tion=boardrules

We can only help you in formatting your hard drive and reinstalling Windows, which should take less than an hour since it's quite easy. You simply get your Windows installation media, boot from it, when it asks you where to install Windows, you select the current partition where it's installed, click on the Advanced Settings button and click on the Format button. Once done, you just click Next one more time and it'll launch the installation process. Can you do that? Did you ever reinstall Windows?

[hoopdub2]

bummer lol

 

I don't have the install disk, just the key.

 

just realized that not being able to set the time and date is now effecting my web browser, keep getting security certificate screen

 

sad times

[Aura]

Was the version of Windows installed on this computer bought in retail, or did it come with the computer?

[hoopdub2]

its an old pc Pentium 4 Dell unit. it came pre installed with XP but has been updated to windows 7 at some point. my boss cant remember when or how or who did it. pretty useless to be honest lol.

 

I have managed to reset the date and time though, I F2 it at start up and reset the system time. that worked.

[Aura]

The date and time will never be synchronized properly in Windows if it's not well set in the BIOS. And if it keeps resetting in the BIOS, it means that you'll have to change the CMOS battery. ANd if you bought Windows 7 as a retail copy, you can try to use the Microsoft Software Recovery center to grab an .iso for the product key you have. Simply enter it and it'll give you an .iso to download.

http://www.microsoft...ftware-recovery

[hoopdub2]

Hmmm I get this when I enter the product key. ''The product key you entered appears to be for software licensed through an Enterprise Agreement''

 

Thanks for your help but I think it will be easier if I take a hammer to this pc.

Edited by hoopdub2, 21 April 2015 - 01:48 AM.

[Aura]

It means that you are using a product key coming from an Entreprise Licencing (Volume Licencing) and you cannot use them on the Software Recovery Center sadly. You would have to contact the representant who you bought that product key from and have him give it to you.