Vista - Administrator Password Help

Hi all! So I apparently royally screwed up yesterday and set my User Account
to be a standard account. Now that I've shut down and restarted, everytime I
try to do anything like copy files to certain locations, install updates,
etc. (which I do multiple times a day) it won't let me and asks me for the
Administrator's password. The problem is, I never SET the Administrator's
password. And it won't let me just leave the password field blank. Is there
ANYTHING I can do to resolve this? (Please say yes. LOL!)

I've browsed the other posts here, but haven't found a solution that works
yet (although I could be missing it). Any help would be greatly appreciated!

set your account to have admin rights


"AMLien" <AMLien@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:AAA966C7-1811-40C3-9366-FAD55ECA2FDB@microsoft.com...
> Hi all! So I apparently royally screwed up yesterday and set my User
> Account
> to be a standard account. Now that I've shut down and restarted, everytime
> I
> try to do anything like copy files to certain locations, install updates,
> etc. (which I do multiple times a day) it won't let me and asks me for the
> Administrator's password. The problem is, I never SET the Administrator's
> password. And it won't let me just leave the password field blank. Is
> there
> ANYTHING I can do to resolve this? (Please say yes. LOL!)
>
> I've browsed the other posts here, but haven't found a solution that works
> yet (although I could be missing it). Any help would be greatly
> appreciated!

It won't let me without the Administrator password (which I don't believe
exists). [sigh]

"hithere" wrote:

> set your account to have admin rights
>
>
> "AMLien" <AMLien@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:AAA966C7-1811-40C3-9366-FAD55ECA2FDB@microsoft.com...
> > Hi all! So I apparently royally screwed up yesterday and set my User
> > Account
> > to be a standard account. Now that I've shut down and restarted, everytime
> > I
> > try to do anything like copy files to certain locations, install updates,
> > etc. (which I do multiple times a day) it won't let me and asks me for the
> > Administrator's password. The problem is, I never SET the Administrator's
> > password. And it won't let me just leave the password field blank. Is
> > there
> > ANYTHING I can do to resolve this? (Please say yes. LOL!)
> >
> > I've browsed the other posts here, but haven't found a solution that works
> > yet (although I could be missing it). Any help would be greatly
> > appreciated!
>
>

I had the same problem and wound up spending $20.00 for a program that boots
up in linux and resets the password to blanks. You then change your
password and all will be well. A Google search will locate possible
remedies.



"AMLien" <AMLien@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:FDF330D2-28B1-4F51-A477-231BA67A7090@microsoft.com...
> It won't let me without the Administrator password (which I don't believe
> exists). [sigh]
>
> "hithere" wrote:
>
>> set your account to have admin rights
>>
>>
>> "AMLien" <AMLien@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:AAA966C7-1811-40C3-9366-FAD55ECA2FDB@microsoft.com...
>> > Hi all! So I apparently royally screwed up yesterday and set my User
>> > Account
>> > to be a standard account. Now that I've shut down and restarted,
>> > everytime
>> > I
>> > try to do anything like copy files to certain locations, install
>> > updates,
>> > etc. (which I do multiple times a day) it won't let me and asks me for
>> > the
>> > Administrator's password. The problem is, I never SET the
>> > Administrator's
>> > password. And it won't let me just leave the password field blank. Is
>> > there
>> > ANYTHING I can do to resolve this? (Please say yes. LOL!)
>> >
>> > I've browsed the other posts here, but haven't found a solution that
>> > works
>> > yet (although I could be missing it). Any help would be greatly
>> > appreciated!
>>
>>

AMLien wrote:
> Hi all! So I apparently royally screwed up yesterday and set my User
> Account to be a standard account. Now that I've shut down and
> restarted, everytime I try to do anything like copy files to certain
> locations, install updates, etc. (which I do multiple times a day) it
> won't let me and asks me for the Administrator's password. The
> problem is, I never SET the Administrator's password. And it won't
> let me just leave the password field blank. Is there ANYTHING I can
> do to resolve this? (Please say yes. LOL!)
>
> I've browsed the other posts here, but haven't found a solution that
> works yet (although I could be missing it). Any help would be greatly
> appreciated!

If all else fails here's a Linux-based Vista and XP password remover.
It's an iso image [ 3.2mb], burn to disk and boot from it.

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=ZE5Z5Y5V
..

You might try this - its free:
-from a July 5 post:
Go to http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/ . There you will find
zip files that will let you create boot floppy disks or bootable CDs
that will enable you to reset any system password on an NT class
operating system (Win2000, XP and Vista are all NT class operating system).

-Paul Randall

"Bill D" <billdon_hdnospam@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:udY5ZWp2HHA.1208@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>I had the same problem and wound up spending $20.00 for a program that
>boots up in linux and resets the password to blanks. You then change your
>password and all will be well. A Google search will locate possible
>remedies.
>
>
>
> "AMLien" <AMLien@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:FDF330D2-28B1-4F51-A477-231BA67A7090@microsoft.com...
>> It won't let me without the Administrator password (which I don't believe
>> exists). [sigh]
>>
>> "hithere" wrote:
>>
>>> set your account to have admin rights
>>>
>>>
>>> "AMLien" <AMLien@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>>> news:AAA966C7-1811-40C3-9366-FAD55ECA2FDB@microsoft.com...
>>> > Hi all! So I apparently royally screwed up yesterday and set my User
>>> > Account
>>> > to be a standard account. Now that I've shut down and restarted,
>>> > everytime
>>> > I
>>> > try to do anything like copy files to certain locations, install
>>> > updates,
>>> > etc. (which I do multiple times a day) it won't let me and asks me for
>>> > the
>>> > Administrator's password. The problem is, I never SET the
>>> > Administrator's
>>> > password. And it won't let me just leave the password field blank. Is
>>> > there
>>> > ANYTHING I can do to resolve this? (Please say yes. LOL!)
>>> >
>>> > I've browsed the other posts here, but haven't found a solution that
>>> > works
>>> > yet (although I could be missing it). Any help would be greatly
>>> > appreciated!
>>>
>>>
>

Or;

http://ophcrack.sourceforge.net/

Ophcrack is a Windows password cracker based on rainbow tables. It is a very efficient
implementation of rainbow tables done by the inventors of the method. It comes with a GTK+
Graphical User Interface and runs on Windows, Mac OS X (Intel CPU) as well as on Linux.


-Michael

* Paul Randall:
> You might try this - its free: -from a July 5 post: Go to
> http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/ . There you will find zip files that will let you
> create boot floppy disks or bootable CDs that will enable you to reset any system password
> on an NT class operating system (Win2000, XP and Vista are all NT class operating system).
>
> -Paul Randall
>
> "Bill D" <billdon_hdnospam@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:udY5ZWp2HHA.1208@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>> I had the same problem and wound up spending $20.00 for a program that boots up in linux
>> and resets the password to blanks. You then change your password and all will be well. A
>> Google search will locate possible remedies.
>>
>>
>>
>> "AMLien" <AMLien@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:FDF330D2-28B1-4F51-A477-231BA67A7090@microsoft.com...
>>> It won't let me without the Administrator password (which I don't believe exists).
>>> [sigh]
>>>
>>> "hithere" wrote:
>>>
>>>> set your account to have admin rights
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> "AMLien" <AMLien@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>>>> news:AAA966C7-1811-40C3-9366-FAD55ECA2FDB@microsoft.com...
>>>>> Hi all! So I apparently royally screwed up yesterday and set my User Account to be a
>>>>> standard account. Now that I've shut down and restarted, everytime I try to do
>>>>> anything like copy files to certain locations, install updates, etc. (which I do
>>>>> multiple times a day) it won't let me and asks me for the Administrator's password.
>>>>> The problem is, I never SET the Administrator's password. And it won't let me just
>>>>> leave the password field blank. Is there ANYTHING I can do to resolve this? (Please
>>>>> say yes. LOL!)
>>>>>
>>>>> I've browsed the other posts here, but haven't found a solution that works yet
>>>>> (although I could be missing it). Any help would be greatly appreciated!
>>>>
>
>

So here's my question...

My problem is not only that I don't know the administrator password (which I
believe is set to be blank), it's that anytime I try to do something that
requires administrator privileges (like even activating the hidden
Administrator account in Vista so I can go in and fix my personal account
settings), it's not asking for my Administrator password, but my ASP.NET
password.

I've gathered from other research today that that's some useless user that
gets created when you install certain software and you don't even need it,
but now I can't delete it because I can't do that without my regular
Administrator privleges. So do you know if this password cracker will crack
the ASP.NET user's password too? At least then maybe I could get past the
annoying popup that's not letting me even TRY most of the fixes I've seen
today.

I'm seriously thinking I may be looking at a complete reinstallation, which
would really not be cool since my Dell came preloaded and I don't HAVE the
installation disks. Ugh.

I appreciate all of the help so far though guys!

"MICHAEL" wrote:

> Or;
>
> http://ophcrack.sourceforge.net/
>
> Ophcrack is a Windows password cracker based on rainbow tables. It is a very efficient
> implementation of rainbow tables done by the inventors of the method. It comes with a GTK+
> Graphical User Interface and runs on Windows, Mac OS X (Intel CPU) as well as on Linux.
>
>
> -Michael
>
> * Paul Randall:
> > You might try this - its free: -from a July 5 post: Go to
> > http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/ . There you will find zip files that will let you
> > create boot floppy disks or bootable CDs that will enable you to reset any system password
> > on an NT class operating system (Win2000, XP and Vista are all NT class operating system).
> >
> > -Paul Randall
> >
> > "Bill D" <billdon_hdnospam@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> > news:udY5ZWp2HHA.1208@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> >> I had the same problem and wound up spending $20.00 for a program that boots up in linux
> >> and resets the password to blanks. You then change your password and all will be well. A
> >> Google search will locate possible remedies.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> "AMLien" <AMLien@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> >> news:FDF330D2-28B1-4F51-A477-231BA67A7090@microsoft.com...
> >>> It won't let me without the Administrator password (which I don't believe exists).
> >>> [sigh]
> >>>
> >>> "hithere" wrote:
> >>>
> >>>> set your account to have admin rights
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> "AMLien" <AMLien@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> >>>> news:AAA966C7-1811-40C3-9366-FAD55ECA2FDB@microsoft.com...
> >>>>> Hi all! So I apparently royally screwed up yesterday and set my User Account to be a
> >>>>> standard account. Now that I've shut down and restarted, everytime I try to do
> >>>>> anything like copy files to certain locations, install updates, etc. (which I do
> >>>>> multiple times a day) it won't let me and asks me for the Administrator's password.
> >>>>> The problem is, I never SET the Administrator's password. And it won't let me just
> >>>>> leave the password field blank. Is there ANYTHING I can do to resolve this? (Please
> >>>>> say yes. LOL!)
> >>>>>
> >>>>> I've browsed the other posts here, but haven't found a solution that works yet
> >>>>> (although I could be missing it). Any help would be greatly appreciated!
> >>>>
> >
> >
>

AMLien wrote:
> So here's my question...
>
> My problem is not only that I don't know the administrator password (which I
> believe is set to be blank), it's that anytime I try to do something that
> requires administrator privileges (like even activating the hidden
> Administrator account in Vista so I can go in and fix my personal account
> settings), it's not asking for my Administrator password, but my ASP.NET
> password.
>
> I've gathered from other research today that that's some useless user that
> gets created when you install certain software and you don't even need it,
> but now I can't delete it because I can't do that without my regular
> Administrator privleges. So do you know if this password cracker will crack
> the ASP.NET user's password too? At least then maybe I could get past the
> annoying popup that's not letting me even TRY most of the fixes I've seen
> today.
>
> I'm seriously thinking I may be looking at a complete reinstallation, which
> would really not be cool since my Dell came preloaded and I don't HAVE the
> installation disks. Ugh.

Unfortunately, the Linux password crackers (and both NTpasswd and
Ophcrack are great and free) aren't going to help you because it isn't a
password issue. It's an issue of not having an enabled Administrator
account. I have some fairly lengthly notes about dealing with this
problem from MVP Jimmy Brush. After you get done with all this, I
*strongly* suggest you make at least one (maybe two) extra user accounts
with administrative privileges for emergencies. Here are my notes and I
hope they work for you:

By default, the following conditions are true in Windows Vista:

The built-in administrator account is disabled.
The built-in administrator account cannot log on to the computer in safe
mode.

Note: In some cases, Windows Vista may determine, during an upgrade from
Microsoft Windows XP, that the built-in administrator account is the
only active local administrator account. In this situation, Windows
Vista leaves the built-in administrator account enabled. Additionally,
Windows Vista puts this account into Admin Approval mode.

Note: Safe Mode is supposed to re-enable the built-in admin account in a
bind, but it's got a bug where if you've got a non-welcome screen (and
hence unaccessible) admin account - such as a Media Center Extender
account - Safe Mode will not re-enable the built-in admin, and you will
be locked out.

If users have lost all their administrator accounts and the built-in
Administrator is disabled (as it is by default), Jimmy Brush has come up
with a fix.

Tutorial and fix -
http://www.jimmah.com/vista/Administ..._of_admin.aspx

Under certain circumstances, you may find yourself without the ability
to log in as an administrator. Some situations include:

* You upgraded from Windows XP, and your administrator account is
gone or disabled
* You demoted all administrator accounts to standard users
* Your administrator account was somehow disabled
* Your administrator account was hidden from the welcome screen,
and you are now unable to use it from inside of your standard user
account(s)
* When attempting to run an administrative utility, you are
required to enter the password for a hidden account called "ASP.NET
Machine Account"
* You receive an error when trying to run an administrative
program, preventing you from changing system settings and running many
programs

In order to fix this problem, you will need to log in to the hidden
"Administrator" account that is on your computer. This account will
allow you to run administrative programs and change system settings so
that you can fix your computer. This will require restarting your
computer, so you may wish to print these instructions for your convenience.


Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

boot up in the same mode. you will see that account administrator.


"AMLien" <AMLien@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:F15F2FFD-2528-4945-9FCB-99A920F85272@microsoft.com...
> So here's my question...
>
> My problem is not only that I don't know the administrator password (which
> I
> believe is set to be blank), it's that anytime I try to do something that
> requires administrator privileges (like even activating the hidden
> Administrator account in Vista so I can go in and fix my personal account
> settings), it's not asking for my Administrator password, but my ASP.NET
> password.
>
> I've gathered from other research today that that's some useless user that
> gets created when you install certain software and you don't even need it,
> but now I can't delete it because I can't do that without my regular
> Administrator privleges. So do you know if this password cracker will
> crack
> the ASP.NET user's password too? At least then maybe I could get past the
> annoying popup that's not letting me even TRY most of the fixes I've seen
> today.
>
> I'm seriously thinking I may be looking at a complete reinstallation,
> which
> would really not be cool since my Dell came preloaded and I don't HAVE the
> installation disks. Ugh.
>
> I appreciate all of the help so far though guys!
>
> "MICHAEL" wrote:
>
>> Or;
>>
>> http://ophcrack.sourceforge.net/
>>
>> Ophcrack is a Windows password cracker based on rainbow tables. It is a
>> very efficient
>> implementation of rainbow tables done by the inventors of the method. It
>> comes with a GTK+
>> Graphical User Interface and runs on Windows, Mac OS X (Intel CPU) as
>> well as on Linux.
>>
>>
>> -Michael
>>
>> * Paul Randall:
>> > You might try this - its free: -from a July 5 post: Go to
>> > http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/ . There you will find zip
>> > files that will let you
>> > create boot floppy disks or bootable CDs that will enable you to reset
>> > any system password
>> > on an NT class operating system (Win2000, XP and Vista are all NT class
>> > operating system).
>> >
>> > -Paul Randall
>> >
>> > "Bill D" <billdon_hdnospam@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>> > news:udY5ZWp2HHA.1208@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>> >> I had the same problem and wound up spending $20.00 for a program that
>> >> boots up in linux
>> >> and resets the password to blanks. You then change your password and
>> >> all will be well. A
>> >> Google search will locate possible remedies.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> "AMLien" <AMLien@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> >> news:FDF330D2-28B1-4F51-A477-231BA67A7090@microsoft.com...
>> >>> It won't let me without the Administrator password (which I don't
>> >>> believe exists).
>> >>> [sigh]
>> >>>
>> >>> "hithere" wrote:
>> >>>
>> >>>> set your account to have admin rights
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>> "AMLien" <AMLien@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> >>>> news:AAA966C7-1811-40C3-9366-FAD55ECA2FDB@microsoft.com...
>> >>>>> Hi all! So I apparently royally screwed up yesterday and set my
>> >>>>> User Account to be a
>> >>>>> standard account. Now that I've shut down and restarted, everytime
>> >>>>> I try to do
>> >>>>> anything like copy files to certain locations, install updates,
>> >>>>> etc. (which I do
>> >>>>> multiple times a day) it won't let me and asks me for the
>> >>>>> Administrator's password.
>> >>>>> The problem is, I never SET the Administrator's password. And it
>> >>>>> won't let me just
>> >>>>> leave the password field blank. Is there ANYTHING I can do to
>> >>>>> resolve this? (Please
>> >>>>> say yes. LOL!)
>> >>>>>
>> >>>>> I've browsed the other posts here, but haven't found a solution
>> >>>>> that works yet
>> >>>>> (although I could be missing it). Any help would be greatly
>> >>>>> appreciated!
>> >>>>
>> >
>> >
>>