need help with ex-school dell optiplex 620

[Soundguy]

Long story shor version:

At the end of last year they replaced all the teachers computer. they let you buy the old computer, hd monitor, kb and mouse for 25$, wife decided to.

it's been setting all summer in the corner. decided to bootit up and set i up as a hoe computer for us since we only have our phones and a netbook. t's on winxp pro i believe. Looks tobea dual core pent d and 4 mem slots, 2 on riser, 2 onboard, with 2slots populated, probably 1g chips.. I have a couple spare 2gb chips i could swap in for 4gb. not a powerhouse by any means.. but better than the atom in the netbook.

anyway, at startup it parks at the network login sreen to login to the schools network. i can get my wifes old password no prob.. but this thing is obviusly not gonna find the old school network.

how do i get rid of that login screen? we just want to be able to turn it on and use it for email.. etc.

we have dsl and the dsl modem has the built in router and wireless access, so i have a pare cat 5 to plug in to the computer.. the dsl modem has ? 4 ports on it. netbook uses 1 when in the office.. otherwise the nb and out phones are wifi... there is no in home network to join or anything.

any help from the pc tech savy guys?

once i get in it i will get into outlook express and get our email settings xfered over from the netbook.. also on winxp and using outlook client. etc.

thanks

 

[Imaybail]

Try going into the BIOS settings and edit the boot order. It is probably set for network boot. You should be able to change the order to HDD(disk drive). Then save and exit the BIOS setup and reboot. If the HDD has the operating system and master boot record, it should boot to the login screen.
You probably already know, but support has ended for XP, so you might want to consider installing a more up to date operating system.

 

[MossRoad]

On a PC that is joined to a domain (which is what you probably have), it should come up with three fields, username, password and domain, unless her username is jane@domainname, in which case it will only ask for that username which contains the domain name, and then password.

Since there is no school domain controller at your house for her to authenticate her credentials to, she may not be able to log on to that pc with that login.

You have to log in locally to that machine.

If you don't have the local machine name and admin credentials, you are kinda screwed.... kinda.

You can wipe the machine and re-install an operating system....
OR
You can crack the local admin password
OR
You can wipe the local admin password with a password cracker/wiper type software on a bootable CD or USB drive.

Here's a link to some resources... I like the 2nd suggestion, as it just wipes the password and you can log in.
Haven't used this type of program for several years, so you're on your own for assistance, as I stopped messing with computers, quite I.T. after 20+ years and am now a maintenance mechanic! I hate comuters!!! :laughing:

 

[MossRoad]

See, I hate computers so much, I forgot to give you the link!!!!
7 Free Windows Password Recovery Tools
:thumbsup:

 

[MossRoad]

Try going into the BIOS settings and edit the boot order. It is probably set for network boot. You should be able to change the order to HDD(disk drive). Then save and exit the BIOS setup and reboot. If the HDD has the operating system and master boot record, it should boot to the login screen.
You probably already know, but support has ended for XP, so you might want to consider installing a more up to date operating system.

He's probably not set for a network boot.

 

[MossRoad]

Well, I don't hate comuters, they can use the roads just like the rest of us... its computers that I dislike. :licking:

 

[aczlan]

See, I hate computers so much, I forgot to give you the link!!!!
7 Free Windows Password Recovery Tools
:thumbsup:

I have used both Ophcrack and Offline NT Password & Registry Editor. Both work well. Ophcrack will show you the passwords, Offline NT Password & Registry Editor lets you just blank the password.
Once you have a password, I would log in as a local administrator and switch from the domain to a workgroup (see: How to change a computer name, join a domain, and add a computer description in Windows XP or in Windows Server 2003 )

Aaron Z

 

[Soundguy]

He's probably not set for a network boot.

yep. your other post was correct... it brings up a winxp pro login in for a network.

username. then has password and then choice of 3 school domains.

and yep., it's a stalling point.

so in non tech person speak.

what's my easiest bet to just get a working xp machie out of this?

 

[MossRoad]

yep. your other post was correct... it brings up a winxp pro login in for a network.

username. then has password and then choice of 3 school domains.

and yep., it's a stalling point.

so in non tech person speak.

what's my easiest bet to just get a working xp machie out of this?

Download one of those password wipers in ISO format on another PC.
Burn a CD from that ISO.
Boot the box you are wanting to wipe the password on from the CD.
Follow the instructions.
It will boot up and give you some options, one of which shoul be to wipe the password.
It's just that simple... it wipes the password... resets it to blank.
Some of them let you set a new password, but I'd just wipe the password for now.
Then remove the CD and reboot.
That's it.
XP has lame security if you have access to the physical machine.

Hope that helps.

 

[Winmac]

It was mentioned already, reinstalling windows is the best option. It will clear out all the trash on it too.
Dose the machine have a windows sticker on it?

I'm very surprised that a school sold off the computers without wiping the hard drives first.