Laptop Password Protected

[CarolPa]

My BIL bought a used laptop at a flea market. When he turned it on, Windows came up but it is password protected. He only gets a password hint "bite." Is there anyway to override this password protection? I would never buy a used laptop unless it was someone I knew to be trustworthy. It could be stolen.

 

[taxlady]

My BIL bought a used laptop at a flea market. When he turned it on, Windows came up but it is password protected. He only gets a password hint "bite." Is there anyway to override this password protection? I would never buy a used laptop unless it was someone I knew to be trustworthy. It could be stolen.

Did he get the Windows Installation Disc? If so, here's a link that explains how to reset the password: How to Reset Your Windows Password | PCWorld

I've never tried this, so I don't know how well it works.

 

[Zereh]

I can't really offer a solution without knowing what version of Windows the laptop runs or if it's the admin account or a user account that you need to get past.

There is tons of information out there on how to get around the problem ~ Google ftw!

 

[pacanis]

Yes, hopfully he got the OS disc.
If he can't over ride the password he can always pick up a new hard drive, which is probably the safest thing to so.

 

[Steve Kroll]

The down side to purchasing used computers is that there are a lot of unknowns, and there is almost always some work that always needs to be done to make them usable again.

Passwords are there for a reason: to protect someone's data. The previous owner could be deceased or simply wasn't computer savvy enough to wipe out his data before selling the laptop.

That aside, as the new owner, your BIL will no doubt want to have a clean slate to work with. I would first use a boot disk to format the drive. You can use any existing computer to create one. Some PCs will also allow you to format the drive from a system setup screen that is accessible during boot up. It usually involves pressing F2 or F6 during the power up sequence. Whichever key it is, it will say so on the screen (although it will probably flash by very quickly).

Once the drive is formatted, the next thing he would need to do is reinstall the operating system. If the laptop didn't come with an OS disk, then BIL needs to chalk it up to caveat emptor and go buy one.

 

[Zereh]

Pretty sure if it was a flea-market find it didn't come with boot discs and user manuals.

Boot it up in safe-mode, chances are you can restore safely from there. That'll also give you a fairly clean slate to start from.

 

[Steve Kroll]

You never know. I've bought used computers off eBay. Some have come with the original boxes and all the disks. Others have been completely stripped of everything, including disk drives and memory.

Even in safe mode you will get prompted for a password. There would be no point in having computers password protected it it were that easy for hackers to break in.

 

[pacanis]

I've still got all the discs that came with my computers that I don't use anymore. If I was going to sell the computer I'd include the discs. I'd pull the HD though.

 

[taxlady]

The down side to purchasing used computers is that there are a lot of unknowns, and there is almost always some work that always needs to be done to make them usable again.

Passwords are there for a reason: to protect someone's data. The previous owner could be deceased or simply wasn't computer savvy enough to wipe out his data before selling the laptop.

That aside, as the new owner, your BIL will no doubt want to have a clean slate to work with. I would first use a boot disk to format the drive. You can use any existing computer to create one. Some PCs will also allow you to format the drive from a system setup screen that is accessible during boot up. It usually involves pressing F2 or F6 during the power up sequence. Whichever key it is, it will say so on the screen (although it will probably flash by very quickly).

Once the drive is formatted, the next thing he would need to do is reinstall the operating system. If the laptop didn't come with an OS disk, then BIL needs to chalk it up to caveat emptor and go buy one.

Or install linux, which is free.

 

[CatPat]

Did it belong to the NSA first? If so, please save that hard drive! Ha!

I am joking.

Yes, if you have the original OS disc, you can install a new hard drive. Or you can still buy a version of Windows and install it on a new hard drive for it.

With love,
~Cat

 

[CarolPa]

Thanks, everyone. I will pass this info on to my BIL since I have no idea what you're talking about. I don't think he got anything with the laptop. All I know is it has Windows 7.

 

[CarolPa]

You never know. I've bought used computers off eBay. Some have come with the original boxes and all the disks. Others have been completely stripped of everything, including disk drives and memory.

Even in safe mode you will get prompted for a password. There would be no point in having computers password protected it it were that easy for hackers to break in.

This is what I'm thinking, too. Either the seller forgot about it being password protected, or the seller is selling stolen goods. Flea market merchants are impossible to track down unless they are caught on the spot.

 

[taxlady]

I had a client who bought four or five laptops at auctions. None of them worked.

 

[CarolPa]

I had a client who bought four or five laptops at auctions. None of them worked.

I think you have to realize you are taking a chance when you make these purchases. But there are many people who upgrade to a better laptop and just want to get rid of the old one. Most would format the hard drive or remove it I would think.

 

[taxlady]

I think you have to realize you are taking a chance when you make these purchases. But there are many people who upgrade to a better laptop and just want to get rid of the old one. Most would format the hard drive or remove it I would think.

I think I would have given up trying to buy an untested laptop at auctions after two.

 

[GotGarlic]

I think I would have given up trying to buy an untested laptop at auctions after two.

Yeah. That's the definition of someone who has more money than they know what to do with.

 

[dcSaute]

a password protected computer at a flea market - odds are 99:1 - stolen.

 

[Addie]

a password protected computer at a flea market - odds are 99:1 - stolen.

My thoughts also. Since they didn't know how to get past the password, they sold it as quickly as they could. What good is a stolen laptop if you can't use it.

 

[Addie]

Anytime Spike hears of someone who is getting rid of their computer, he will take it off their hands and rebuild a whole new computer for some kid or college student who needs one. No charge. It is just his hobby. He also does it with printers.

 

[Roll_Bones]

Thanks, everyone. I will pass this info on to my BIL since I have no idea what you're talking about. I don't think he got anything with the laptop. All I know is it has Windows 7.

That makes it a fairly new computer. Not brand new, but fairly new. win_7.
I second formating the hard drive or replacing it.

Get all the information from the laptop itself. Find what you can on the internet as far as utility and resource CD's or files.
You could go to the manufactures web site and get the drivers you will most likely need to replace.

He can get this this going with some time invested and patience. Good luck.