Vista - Can't get my files

How do I get files off of my vista machine before I rebuild it?
I have a laptop with Vista Basic on it and my girlfriend changed the password... Then forgot it **Grrrrr** She just wants to retrieve a couple folders from the desktop.
I've tried booting to a knoppix disk, and I'm able to see some places on the hard drive, but in Public: where her desktop folder should be it's empty.
How do I:
1. see what's in the folders
2. acquire permission to copy over the folders to a thumb drive

Thanks

This has worked for me in the past.

Ophcrack

Blundt

She changed the password then forgot it. She wants some files off of it now. Hummm

Can we get some info about the computer,files, who is the admin, etc

If she isnt the admin, and you aren't who is? can you ask them


Ken

Dell Latitude, I don't have admin password I got the machine from Ebay and it simply boots to "user" and asks for a password. The transaction was almost 6 months ago and the sellers information is no longer available

Reset User Account Password

Courtesy of Brink

Ok so you dont know the admin password since you bought it on ebay. Your girlfriend entered what password which she cant now rember?

So there is one user on the computer correct? is that user a regular user or admin?

Iffy, Iffy!!!

I think it's a regular user

You mean suspicious??

OK so the one account is a regular user. have you had to use the admin account before your girlfriend added the password?

ken