Brother passed away, need to get on his computer

[budahbuddy803 10+ year member]

Hey I have my brother's desktop. I am trying to retrieve all the info such as pictures, documents, and video off of this desktop. I cannot get back the windows xp log in screen. His password hint is how-far? I know his password is "toofar", but I have been trying for some time and cant find the right combo of words and letters. It could be too-far Too-Far tofar .... the possibilities are endless really.

The computer service here at clemson said that they have a program called blackmagic that bypasses the password but they charge $55+ to have it done. I was unable to find a torrent for this software, so I can kind of out of luck. Anyone have any ideas to where I wouldnt have to pay the $55?

Click to read more...

 

[ahole-ic]

If it's a welcome screen login, and he's not the "administrator" account you might be in luck. Restart and tap f8 while the computer is booting. Then choose safe mode and proceed. It will then bring up the welcome screen or a username/password prompt. Choose or type in administrator. Then try with no password. Try the word password. Try superman and God. There is a list of the 10 most common root or administrator passwords. Look that up and try them all. If you get in that way, you have unrestricted access to the full machine. ANOTHER option that is VERY easy, is to just put that hdd in another machine and don't boot from it. Boot from the hdd already in the other machine, but that drive will be mounted in windows allowing you to view all of the files on it.

 

[nateberrier 10+ year member]

Download

Ophcrack for the right OS.

Then download

The Official ImgBurn Website

and install this

If you havent ever burned an ISO then hit me up. I also have other programs but this will be the easiest.

Install IMG burn and you should be able to double click on the iso file you downloaded for oph crack. when you double click it should bring up a prompt to burn the iso to the disk, tell it yes, etc. Then restart your computer and press F12 at boot, it should ask what you want to boot from. if not go into your bios and set it to boot from CD. it should then go on its own and harvest all the passwords for the computer. If that doesnt work I have other means.

 

[power-fanatic07 5,000+ posts]

Sorry to hear about your bro, hope you are able to get to his stuff.

 

[BlactimusCrime 10+ year member]

Id just pull the HDD like ecrack said. throw it in an external case, or throw it in another machine. problem solved.

&&sorry to hear about your brother.

 

[budahbuddy803 10+ year member]

If it's a welcome screen login, and he's not the "administrator" account you might be in luck. Restart and tap f8 while the computer is booting. Then choose safe mode and proceed. It will then bring up the welcome screen or a username/password prompt. Choose or type in administrator. Then try with no password. Try the word password. Try superman and God. There is a list of the 10 most common root or administrator passwords. Look that up and try them all. If you get in that way, you have unrestricted access to the full machine. ANOTHER option that is VERY easy, is to just put that hdd in another machine and don't boot from it. Boot from the hdd already in the other machine, but that drive will be mounted in windows allowing you to view all of the files on it.

It is and I will try that. Thanks a bunch. I don't have any other desktops, only laptops, can I still do what you said with the harddrives? Turns out he is the administrator so i guess the safe mode approach doesnt work? Thanks for the quick response

 

[nateberrier 10+ year member]

If it's a welcome screen login, and he's not the "administrator" account you might be in luck. Restart and tap f8 while the computer is booting. Then choose safe mode and proceed. It will then bring up the welcome screen or a username/password prompt. Choose or type in administrator. Then try with no password. Try the word password. Try superman and God. There is a list of the 10 most common root or administrator passwords. Look that up and try them all. If you get in that way, you have unrestricted access to the full machine. ANOTHER option that is VERY easy, is to just put that hdd in another machine and don't boot from it. Boot from the hdd already in the other machine, but that drive will be mounted in windows allowing you to view all of the files on it.

x2 on this but it only works on XP. Pulling the drive works too, if its too complicated we can work something out and ill take care of it, hell i might walk you through on skype if i gotta.

 

[nateberrier 10+ year member]

It is and I will try that. Thanks a bunch. I don't have any other desktops, only laptops, can I still do what you said with the harddrives? Turns out he is the administrator so i guess the safe mode approach doesnt work? Thanks for the quick response

If you want to use your laptop youll need to get an external enclosure.

 

[nateberrier 10+ year member]

you can also boot from a linux cd and access the hard disk.

 

[budahbuddy803 10+ year member]

Thanks guys! im going to try nate's recomendation since the administrator thing didnt work. I dont know how to remove the HDD and put it in a different case nor do I know where to buy another case, and even then Im spending money. Windows should have thought about people dieing and allowed a different route around this huh? just kidding

 

[budahbuddy803 10+ year member]

you can also boot from a linux cd and access the hard disk.

That would have to be paid for too right? I dont know anyone that runs linux i dont believe... ill ask around

 

[budahbuddy803 10+ year member]

x2 on this but it only works on XP. Pulling the drive works too, if its too complicated we can work something out and ill take care of it, hell i might walk you through on skype if i gotta.

pretty sure I have skype on this laptop.

 

[nateberrier 10+ year member]

Trust me, and you can ask worstenemy, I can get into anything hell or highway. also ophcrack is bootable linux at heart so you can use that disk to try option two that i provided. if option 1 doesnt work then ill give better instructions if needed. also i use this all the time when i fix peoples computers and they dont give me the password.

 

[BlactimusCrime 10+ year member]

Linux disk would prolly be the next easiest way since you dont have another desk top

 

[BlactimusCrime 10+ year member]

That would have to be paid for too right? I dont know anyone that runs linux i dont believe... ill ask around

you can download free linux OS