XP Domain Password 'Recovery'

[itadakimasu]

OK... I bought a computer and it has xp pro on it, and i would like to not have to format and reinstall if it has a legit copy of xp pro on it. anyhow, its set to login to a domain, and when i try to boot it into safe-mode my monitor cuts out and says signal out of range...

is there a not so difficult way to bypass the password?

[Munsu]

Can't you just set it to "Login to this computer"?

[itadakimasu]

either way, it wants a password that i dont have.

i was assuming i could boot to safemode and then change the pw there but as i said, it tells me 'signal out of range' bah...

i have it booted right now w\ pclinux 07 but i haven't started trying to edit the registry or anything yet.

edit

RAWWWR after only..... 2-3 hours of tinkering i got it. I dl'd 'ophcrack live-cd'
and then used the password it gave me for the admin account via safe-mode which i was able to enter after going into bios and restoring default settings and changing some video settings HEHEHE i feel a sense of accomplishment.

really weird though... i had the admin account, and it had several things like users/groups and changing domain membership locked... but it let me reset the only other user account, then get on w\ that user and reset all of that stuff LOL

[complich8]

if it was on a domain, it's probably got a bunch of residual group policy and local security policy configs that are going to hang around and be annoying.

I highly recommend you just format the damned thing.

[itadakimasu]

comp : is there a way to clear out such security settings? or reset to defaults?

i'm going to sell it most likely and it has office 2003 pro, and xp pro (legit copies) which i could format and just pull their cd keys before hand but... sounds like alot of trouble. i ebayed the computer (dell optiplex 620 2.8pentium d, 512ram, 160gb,DVDRW) for $200, it sells on dells outlet site for almost 500.

[DB_Hunter]

I came across a piece of software called ERD commander. I only used it once, but it allowed me to get in to the local admin account without knowing the password. I was able to reset it by using this software.

I think it also offers other kinds of services, like being able to retrieve data from a dead volume. Might be worth taking a look at, as I think it is free anyway.