Expert: Brian Benosky - 10/23/2010

Question
I recently aquired an HP elitebook 2740p from a relative that quit her job and no longer had a use for it. I wanted to retore if to its factory default settings, but I need the administrator password to do so. I attempted to use Ophcrack with the tazusb.exe on a USB to recover the passwords, however when I booted the computer from the USB, it just opened a desktop titled "Tux" with a Slitaz background and limited options. I attempted to run Ophcrack to recover the password I needed, but I can't find a pwdump file or even access the C: drive.

Any ideas on what I can do to recover the password and/or reset the computer to factory default? Thanks!

-Kim

Answer
Hi Kim

It sounds like you are accessing a Linux distro on your thumb drive, and not on the laptop.  Regardless, I have used a program called Offline NT Password & Registry Editor, and it has worked for me every time.  You will need to burn a copy of the program to a CD, then have the laptop boot to that disk.  For detailed instructions and to download the CD image, look here:

http://pogostick.net/~pnh/ntpasswd/bootdisk.html

Hope that helps.  Let me know if that works for you.

Brian