I purchased a used cpu, it asked for a user name and password to get in. I do not know it.How do reset it?

Question

I purcahed it at salvation army It had ran well. They had told me when it was donated that the person had died.They also told me that they lost the password info. When I got home and tried to boot it up, it asked for a user name and password. The user name came up, but I do not know the password. Is there any way that I can start operating it without this password? Can I change the password,or delete this to get it to work for me? How can I use it without knowing the user password?

Answer 1

1. The Salvation should know better!

Take it back to them and have them reformat it!

(and pulling out the cmos battery can cause you to lose all computer settings and it will NOT work anymore. Sometimes it just resets the time and sometimes it resets your computer to a point you can't tell what it will do or not do unless you know how to change CMOS BIOS settings)



As for You origional question....



2. Legally No one can help you.



This is also an illegal question, It is against Federal law to solicit information for the purpose of acquiring a password. (even your own, because we have know way of knowing if it is really yours) Giving out this information over the net, and not in person is also a violation of the Law.

But your question might be an honest mistake so it was not reported.

Please read the Community Guidelines.



http://answers.yahoo.com/info/community_...

Answer 2

Based on personal experience, I know that the Salvation Army indeed does know better. You probably "found" a used computer somewhere. If so, please return it to it's rightful owner. If not, my apologies.

The problem with your question is that there are various "levels" at which a computer can ask you for a password. When it is being asked in conjunction with a username, it's normally the Operating System asking that. That's why the above tip with removing the CMOS battery won't help you.

If you do not know the administrator account, then the Operating System is doing what it is supposed to do: keep you out.

The right thing to do in that situation is purchase a new version of Windows (or whatever OS you use) and install it from fresh. You will have to format the harddisk during the installation process, erasing all traces of the previous user.

Out of courtesy, that's what you should do.

Answer 3

Without that username and password or an administrator password created for that installation I'm afraid your hosed.

You'll need to get a new installation CD for your choice of operating system and boot up with it. Reformat the hard drive. Do the installation and when it prompts you for a username with administrator privileges enter yours and a new password.

You'll lose everything that was on the drive, but technically and ethically speaking, it wasn't your's in the first place... just the hardware.

Answer 4

They should not pass along systems with anything on them. You will probably have to run a hard drive cleaner and start completely over with a new installation of an operating system.

Answer 5

call the company the computer is made from. make sure you have the serial number and they will guide you..you dont have to take it apart..i forgot my password and they guided me on how to reset it without going inside..

Answer 6

open the CPU. pull out the CMOS battery.

refix it and start the system



BOL



Amit