dimension 4400 admin password - XP SP2 troubles on recovery reboot

Question

I installed SP2 and ran into a problem resulting in a blue screen on startup with stop mssg "C000021A fatal system error" displayed. I tried all safe mode and last good config boots to no avail. I contacted Microsoft tech support and they said it was a conflict with McAffee and if I pressed the space bar during the boot, I would be directed to the offending software and I could disable that software. I hit the space bar and it went to the safe mode boot screen instead (which still didn't work). Next MS tech suggested that I boot from the XP CD that came with the PC.

When I tried to boot from the CD, it allows me to start the boot, but, after I am prompted for operating system, it prompts me for an administrator's password. Trouble is, I never set an admin password and I am the sole owner of this PC. MS tech said that Dell regularly sets this password from the factory - sometimes as a blank, sometimes with something else. I tried a blank and all kinds of other things, which got quite frustrating because you are only allowed three tries before it kicks you out and makes you start all over.

Next the MS tech said that I should contact Dell for the password. So I called Dell tech support last night. They said that they never set the admin password from the factory and that XP SP2 sometimes will automatically set an admin password. They said my only option is to wipe the drive and reinstall XP - something I would like to avoid. Who is right? Who set this admin password, and does anyone have any tips for passwords to try? Any help would be greatly appreciated,

Brad

Denny Denham · Answer

angler_bg,

Dell does not set an administrative password but one (unknown) may be set by the software when an XP system is set up using Sysprep. The information here refers. I don't know what the MS Tech wanted you to do after you booted with the CD, but you can bypass the password requirement to get into Recovery Console using the floppy disk set available through the link in the MSKB document.

Troubleshooting this error is discussed here. One of the suggested repair procedures is a Repair Install of Windows XP (instructions here.

angler_bg · Answer

Denny,

Thanks a bunch. I wish I had rec'd such straightforward help from either MS or Dell techs. I had basically settled on the repair reinstall, but had some worries about loss of data that can occur with OEM installs of XP using this method. I will try the startup from floppy option into recovery console first, which should allow me to fix some issues first and back up some of my data from the command prompt, if I do eventually have to do a repair reinstall. Take care,

Brad

JD Scot · Answer

If you do go into the recovery console for repairs, if you did not set an administrative password, simply use the enter key. It will then take you to a C prompt in the recovery console.

angler_bg · Answer

Yeah, I tried the 'blank' password on the very first try and it didn't work. I will try to get to the recovery console via the dowloaded startup disks tonight, Brad

Denny Denham · Answer

@JD Scot wrote:
If you do go into the recovery console for repairs, if you did not set an administrative password, simply use the enter key. It will then take you to a C prompt in the recovery console.

No, it won't. That assumes that the default (null) password is in use, which in this case it obviously is not. There is a password set (it was set by sysprep) and unless it is entered the user cannot get into Recovery Console.

JD Scot · Answer

I disagree with you Denny, you do not have a password set unless you have set one up in adminstrator. Once you do that, you must have administrator password  to gain privilege to open the console. Message Edited by JD Scot on 10-21-2004 02:05 PM

Denny Denham · Answer

Jen, You may disagree if you wish. Read the document I linked to in my first post in this thread then write to Microsoft and explain to them why they have it wrong.

Flooby · Answer

@JD Scot wrote:

I disagree with you Denny, you do not have a password set unless you have set one up in adminstrator. Once you do that, you must have administrator password to gain privilege to open the console.

Jen, this is simply incorrect (and I see that, regardless of the most recent change in your user name, you still haven't learned the meaning of the word "tact"). It has happened to me on Dell systems as shipped from the factory, and is a rather well known obstacle encountered when working with OEM installations of Windows XP (both Home and Pro). The fact that your obviously limited experience has prevented you from encountering it doesn't mean that the information Denny has provided isn't quite accurate, when in fact it most certainly is. See the following passage in the cited MSKB article: "Note that the manufacturer of your computer may have used Sysprep to preinstall Windows XP on your computer."

angler_bg · Answer

Present conflict excepted, I want to thank the forum for their help. The xp setup disks got me around the sysprep password problem so I could uninstall SP2. I had a heck of a time disabling McAfee so I could finish the uninstall in safe mode, but it eventually worked. It looks like it was either a conflict with McAfee and its update routine and/or some spyware that had taken up residence. Got rid of the spyware, disabled McAfee, reinstalled SP2, made the changes to DCOM to allow McAfee to update, see this article, and everything seems to be working fine this morning with no data lost. McAfee is updating fine and has been re-enabled. Thanks again,

Brad

Denny Denham · Answer

angler_bg, Excellent news. To avoid the problem in the future take a look here.

Windows General

dimension 4400 admin password - XP SP2 troubles on recovery reboot

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