IT: help needed!

Off_it

I've got a works laptop - which I've had at home for a while and so is "kind of mine now" - and when I have gone to load some software onto it (for my mp3 player) it says that I can't do it unless I am logged in as an administrator. Obviously I don't know the password is!

I can understand why - work obviously don't want people loading on all sorts - but is there anyway around it? Surely there must be, otherwise if it was that easy there would be no point in people nicking the things!

Any help would be gratefully appreciated. Cheers!

cafcpolo

Give this a go mate. You'll need a Windows XP disc mind. (I'm assuming thats what OS is installed?)

Forgotten Passwordnull

alfie

I'm pretty sure that security holes filled now.

Off_it

Thanks, but I haven't got a Windows XP disc. I just got the laptop from work with certain stuff already on it.

Anyone else got any ideas?

razil

try loggin on as administrator with a blank password to the local machine (domain)

Stone

Wander round your IT department and see if the password's writen on a whiteboard somewhere. Failing that threaten someone with violence if they don't let you have it.

razil

Let this be a lesson to you all be nice to the IT guys, painful as that might be...

Medders

Try user Id: administrator
Password: password

You'll be surprised how many IT depts use this combo...!

Medders

[cite]Posted By: razil[/cite]Let this be a lesson to you all be nice to the IT guys, painful as that might be...

That'll also be the day that hell freezes over

kigelia

There are a few suggestions here:

search

there are more specific things I could suggest but not from the pc I am at currently unfortunately.

cafcpolo

My mate has a CD that allows you to reset any windows logon passwords. I'll see if I can get the files off him fella.

reserves

If it's never ;) going back to work and you don't need anything on it you can do a 'clean' install (basically wipe the hard drive and start again), you have to get hold of an XP disk but that aint too hard

Heath Hero

Turn it off and turn it on again?

Off_it

Thanks again for your comments. The fella I asked in my IT department just looked at me as if I was stupid for even suggesting that they would allow me to load it on - so no joy there.

I've even spoken to a fella who worked in our IT department until a couple of weeks ago - nice bloke, lives in Eltham, his mates are Charlton and he goes occassionally and we've always got on well - but he didn't want to let me have the password (can't say I blame him I spose!). Also, I can't just wipe everything and start again in case work want the thing back.

It looks like my choices are

1/ see if I can borrow a laptop from someone for a day or so and load the software onto it
2/ buy a laptop (v expensive considering I've already got a "free" one and only want to use it for one thing!)
3/ send the bloody mp3 back and just give up!!!

Unless anyone has got any other ideas?

razil

the local admin password is unlikely to be same as the domain administrator password, take it into work and say you need local admin rights on the laptop, and get this geek to allow you them/or give you the local admin password.

Also you may have an OEM licence sticker on the laptop, if so you can get hold of some OEM media (xp disk - must be oem though) and install xp over the old one, you will lose all other sofware and drivers though, so will need to find them again if XP doesn't load them on automatically (for video, sound card, etc). Alternatively you could install xp alongside the old one in a different folder or partition, as a short term measure.

cafcpolo

Give me a day or two and I'll get something off my mate that allows you to do it fella.

cafcpolo

Or try here. Need to be able to burn the file to a CD though.

http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/bootdisk.html

Off_it

[cite]Posted By: razil[/cite]the local admin password is unlikely to be same as the domain administrator password, take it into work and say you need local admin rights on the laptop, and get this geek to allow you them/or give you the local admin password.

Also you may have an OEM licence sticker on the laptop, if so you can get hold of some OEM media (xp disk - must be oem though) and install xp over the old one, you will lose all other sofware and drivers though, so will need to find them again if XP doesn't load them on automatically (for video, sound card, etc). Alternatively you could install xp alongside the old one in a different folder or partition, as a short term measure.

Sorry mate, I only understood the "geek" bit in all of that. When it comes to IT I'm struggling big time!

[cite]Posted By: cafcpolo[/cite]Give me a day or two and I'll get something off my mate that allows you to do it fella.

Cheers Polo - you're a gent. Was seriously thinking about binning the poxy thing and walking around with my ghetto blaster on my shouldder - just like back in the day! I only bought one as no bugger got me one for Christmas - so am doubly fahked!

razil

look for a sticker with XP and OEM and lots of numbers on it...

cafcpolo

Off_It - Got the files off my mate, do you have the capabilities to make a Boot CD?

Off_it

Errr ..... no.
To be honest I've only really just mastered how to switch the bloody thing on!