Help help help me please, how do I by-pass my lap top passwords.

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I have a number of old laptops that are still in good order but no idea of what the passwords are. I have Win 7-8-10 that I don't want to loose much of the content of. I have read about password cracking cd's like NTpasswd but do they really work. I really don't want to loose any of the content. Is it possible. Thanks.
 
Perhaps one for you Gromett although I do realise Windows is not your bag ?
 
buttons said:
I have a number of old laptops that are still in good order but no idea of what the passwords are. I have Win 7-8-10 that I don't want to loose much of the content of. I have read about password cracking cd's like NTpasswd but do they really work. I really don't want to loose any of the content. Is it possible. Thanks.
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You can always crack open the laptop with a lump hammer.........
 
If they are Apple laptops they are worth saving. Old windows laptops are doorstops at best, or if you can get in; it might still have enough power to be a fax machine (y) . :D

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Jim said:
If they are Apple laptops they are worth saving. Old windows laptops are doorstops at best, or if you can get in; it might still have enough power to be a fax machine (y) . :D
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Umm these are good laptops not your normal run of the mill apple jobbies. My problem is I get a new one and file the previous one away without recording the detail. With the memory not being as good as it was and all that, I Look for something then think, I know where that is but alas entry is barred....
 
buttons said:
Umm these are good laptops not your normal run of the mill apple jobbies.
Click to expand...

If you don't have the passwords you won't get to the data. But you will if you do as the gasman advises above Just remove the drive. Buy one of these and you'll be able to read all your data and you'll have a handy backup drive for your new laptop (y)

Amazon product ASIN B07D2BHVBD
 
As long as it is the Windows password you've forgotten I understand there are ways and means - someone will know how. I'd think demounting the drives should work.

But if it's the BIOS password forget it - impossible to break.

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In a past life I could crack and/or bypass passwords.

CBA nowadays.
 
irnbru said:
Try this, it worked for me a few years ago.

www.techadvisor.co.uk

How to log in to Windows if you forgot the password

Forgotten the all-important password and can't log in using your fingerprint or face? Here's what to do on Windows 10 or Windows 11
www.techadvisor.co.uk www.techadvisor.co.uk
Click to expand...

The hidden Admin works :) Also if you have a windows account you can reset through that I think - but don't ask me how. After the last time I forgot the password on my old pc and reset it I wrote it on a sticky note and stuck that on the keyboard. Not the full password but all in the correct case and all letters where I also use numbers so at least I had a clue :)
 
A couple of options.
1) recover data by plugging hard drive into another computer (won't work if you have enabled encryption)
2) use a bootable linux usb stick, then use the file explorer in Linux to copy the files. (best method as you don't need to take lap top to pieces.

Once you have the data you can either then use a Linux cd to run a windows password reset.
OR
Just do a clean install.
 
As described, booting using a Linux USB stick, or putting the drive in a caddy, will get you access to the drive folders. One problem you might have is not being able to see inside user folders, if that's where you keep your data. So you'll need to be able to crack the user password in that case.

Actually what you want to do is RESET the user password, to a new password. That is easier, and there are methods to do this. This is more permissible than cracking a password, which can allow access without the user being alerted. When the password is reset to a new one, the user will know next time they log on.

I know it's being wise after the event, but maybe take the opportunity and start using a password app like LastPass, which stores all the passwords you want in encrypted form on the web. You can get them back on any computer or phone browser if you know your one single master password.

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Last edited:
Google logging into safe mode using the hidden Administrator userid.
 
Gromett said:
A couple of options.
1) recover data by plugging hard drive into another computer (won't work if you have enabled encryption)
2) use a bootable linux usb stick, then use the file explorer in Linux to copy the files. (best method as you don't need to take lap top to pieces.

Once you have the data you can either then use a Linux cd to run a windows password reset.
OR
Just do a clean install.
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Thanks Gromett I will have to decipher the instructions then see what I can do... (y)
 
Jim said:
If you don't have the passwords you won't get to the data. But you will if you do as the gasman advises above Just remove the drive. Buy one of these and you'll be able to read all your data and you'll have a handy backup drive for your new laptop (y)

Amazon product ASIN B07D2BHVBD
Click to expand...
Thanks Gasman and Jim I now have a few options to start....(y)
 
Save yourself the bother of trying to crack the forgotten password.
Take the hard drive out, get a USB adapter / cage for it and plug it into another PC.
Tehn run a free utility called Recuva on it and take off what you want...
Make sure you have enough space on the working PC to save all the files if they are large one..

this is the adapter you need to plug the bare hard drive into.
Amazon product ASIN B004JO1Z52
 
HandyAndy said:
Save yourself the bother of trying to crack the forgotten password.
Take the hard drive out, get a USB adapter / cage for it and plug it into another PC.
Tehn run a free utility called Recuva on it and take off what you want...
Make sure you have enough space on the working PC to save all the files if they are large one..

this is the adapter you need to plug the bare hard drive into.
Amazon product ASIN B004JO1Z52
Click to expand...
Thanks HandyAndy that looks like an option too..... (y)

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If Windows laptop remove hard drive and get a drive to USB adapter (sata/ide) and plug it into your present laptop.
 
If you want to leave everything intact then you can download a linux based password reset cd. I have used one several times and it only takes 5 mins to reset the admin password to blank. Youy can then reboot and access the disc as usual.
 
Last time I attempted to open an old lappy it was so old the inbuilt system battery was dead so everything had gone anyway.
 
pappajohn said:
Last time I attempted to open an old lappy it was so old the inbuilt system battery was dead so everything had gone anyway.
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the BIOS battery may be dead, but the data is still on the old hard drive
 
Or in future you could be lazy like me, and whenever you get a new laptop keep the same password.

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Gromett said:
How did you get on with it?
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To be honest I have not yet made a start, I have a couple to do, one being a lap top and the other being an extremely powerful desk top gaming pc. I am still open for any help you can give I want to have some sort of confidence before I get stuck in. Thanks for asking..
 

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