Microsoft XP problem. Need help.

[GL2k2]

I just got a free computer from my brother used, and I came across a big problem. I turn the computer and it boots up to the Microsoft XP screen, and then stays there for like ten minutes with the message below "Windows starting up". By the time I leave it for a few minutes it goes to the screen saver, I move the mouse and see the login screen blured with the message you did not logon a password and some other stuff. I click it off and I'm taken to a blue screen with a small Windows symbol with my brother's username and it asks me for a password. He doesn't remember the password!!

Worse off the boot disc is damaged and can't be used anyway until I get pass that screen. Is there anyway I can delete his screenname and password and start from scratch?

 

[RZetlin]

If you know the admin password just login in and remove your brother's password.

If you don't know the admin password, the quickest way of getting the computer working is to format the hard drive and reinstall Windows XP.

 

[GL2k2]

If you know the admin password just login in and remove your brother's password.

If you don't know the admin password, the quickest way of getting the computer working is to format the hard drive and reinstall Windows XP.

Sorry to say I don't know any passwords and neither does he. And just how about do I format the hard drive and reinstall Windows without the disc? Any help would be appreciative.

 

[Crimson_lynx]

Sorry to say I don't know any passwords and neither does he. And just how about do I format the hard drive and reinstall Windows without the disc? Any help would be appreciative.

I guess you could always buy a new harddrive, then just load it on there.

P.S. THIS IS JUST A WILD GUESS!!!
but it might be worth a shot.

Hope this helps

-Crimson

 

[RZetlin]

Sorry to say I don't know any passwords and neither does he. And just how about do I format the hard drive and reinstall Windows without the disc? Any help would be appreciative.

No Windows XP disc? Sorry you are out of luck.

But you can still format your hard drive.

Grab a boot up disk and format the partition.

 

[ButteredToast]

I just formatted an OS drive last night, so it's still fresh in my memory... here goes.

Get yourself a Windows 95/98/ME boot disk with all the fixin's (FDISK, FORMAT, etc...)

FDISK (remove the partition and reboot)
FDISK again (build a new partition and reboot)
FORMAT C: ( I usually use the command line "\z:64" ... not a bad idea for large hard drives since it gives you bigger clusters and can improve your access speed.)

Now you're ready to take the shiny Windows XP disc (you'll probably have to buy the full version unless you have an older version CD lying around, then you can buy the upgrade version) and reinstall your operating system.

 

[GL2k2]

Well, I had to buckle under and buy a Microsoft XP boot disc. It worked like a charm. So, I guess that's the remedy to all problems. Thanks to everyone.