Prompting for a non-existant Password...

[Ravenglade]

On my non-functional computer, I ran a Windows XP Home Edition, this morning I was on it when my system froze, so I rebooted it, before it could get to the Windows XP loading screen, the error message: NTLDR Not detected, please press CTRL+ALT+DEL to restart.

Obviously the restart did nothing, so I booted the system with my Windows XP home edition disk, and tried to access the recovery repair console, it asked me which system i wanted to load, with only 1: C:/WINDOWS listed, so obviously I chose it... It then asked me for the administrators password. I had none set, after running an image disk designed to crack the administrators password (OPHCrack) I was reinforced that I did NOT have any administrator password, and password Possible I tried, and entering nothing did nothing but go to the next line, like any normal DOS window, I even tried LOGON 1 with no password entered, but it still asked me for another password.

Is there any command to bypass/fix this? or do I have to rebuild my computer from scratch again? (I would REALLY rather not.)

[Kelsenellenelvian]

run a repair install from the home disk.

[Ravenglade]

run a repair install from the home disk.

Im trying to run the repair function (press R at the menu thing) and it's asking me for a password, that does not exist, I've used the cracking disk to check, came up with "empty" aka, No password.

pressing enter with nothing entered just opens up a dos line....

[xlfdll]

That's correct. The Windows XP Text-mode Setup Front-page, 'R' goes to XP "Recovery Console".

Actually, this is a console interface, need to input commands to control.

Kelsenellenelvian's words means, run a normal installation from the Installation Disk, as you install a new and clean system.

The way to do this is same as installing XP on a new PC.

A message will be displayed to you during this operation, said you have installed Windows XP.

Press R, the Setup will do a repair install.

(If you Press ESC, then Setup will let you select the partition where you want to install in.

you can also select the partition where you have XP installed)

[Idontwantspam]

It's not possible to get into the recovery console if the admin account has no password, I think. You should be able to use BartPE or something of the like though to get in there.

[Tripredacus]

It's not possible to get into the recovery console if the admin account has no password, I think. You should be able to use BartPE or something of the like though to get in there.

This is correct. The recovery console was designed to be used by users who follow Microsoft's recommendations! However, there are some early SP1 OEM CDs that will let you get in without a password, or at least this is the word on the street. None of the ones I've tried ever worked. An alternative for you is there are some Live CDs that have a password program that will let you add a password onto your admin account, and thus be able to use the recovery console as it was intended.

[happyusers]

The point seems to be well known. Frequently, MS asks for a non existent password when entering the recovery console. A workaround is presented in the following link that tweaks the registry to suppress any RC password. The problem is it has to be used before loosing access to Win XP.

Hope that will help.

http://www.theeldergeek.com/recovery_console.htm

[twig123]

For your reading pleasure:

http://www.msfn.org/board/I-get-locked-out...scr-t97914.html

(I have still not resolved this issue on my system as well.)

Microsoft suggests loading the "User Hive Profile Cleanup Utility":

http://www.microsoft.com/DownLoads/details...;displaylang=en

This is a know issue at MS that doesn't seem to be getting any attention.