Message Edited by redwolfe_98 on 08-05-2005 10:03 AM

Hi,

Did you try just pressing Enter, instead of typing a password?  Dell's sysprep image has set this password to null, whereby you just press Enter.  If you have previously done a  clean install of Windowsl, then you would have been forced to set your own password.  You would have to remember it, then, to enter the Recovery Console. There are also utilities that can fix this for  you.

Good luck,

Jane

I am not sure if the following applies to your problem or not. Denny just helped me through a similar process myself. If you ran into this problem while trying to reinstall or repair XP from the CD, Microsoft has a free hotfix to resolve this passord problem. If the "null' approach doesn't work, you can call Microsoft at 18009365800 Option 2 and ask for Hotfix Q308402.

According to Microsoft, the Recovery Console is only necessary if you are doing a manual recovery. If you are doing an automatic repair, you don't need to use the Recovery Console. The XP CD instructions are misleading about this, but there are 2 different paths to XP repair: the 1st takes you to the manual Recovery Console/ Administrative password route. The first time XP asks you "  Do you want to do a reinstall or a repair" answer reinstall. That will take you to the automatic repair route on the next screen. If you press "R" the first time you are asked, you will be taken to the manual recovery route and that Administrative Password crisis.    

Message Edited by snapplelips on 08-05-2005 11:47 AM

kweigel,

There are two accounts involved in your problem. Your administrator account (which is in your name) has the password that you assigned. The System Administrator account (which does not normally appear on the Welcome screen) is a separate account which, as mentioned, should have a null password.

I think my problem is identical to yours. I took your advice and downloaded and installed the hotfix. It did not help at all. I only get three options: Install XP, Repair, and quit. When I try Repair, I am again asked for the Administrator password. My password does not work. Neither does "enter." If there is a System Password that I need, and if this is different that the Administrator Password, I do not know what it is, or where to find it. Can anyone help? THANKS in advance.

kweigel,

You may be able to bypass the problem with the floppy diskette set (assuming your system has a floppy drive). See this.

On the first screen when it ask Install XP, Repair, and quit, pick install xp, then on the next screen pick R for repair,it will not ask for password there.If you pick Repair on the first screen it will ask you for a password to get into the recovery console.To get into recovery console and null or enter doesn't work and you can get to regedit, if possible and change the value so you don't need a password.

Yes, what Jimmy said. Also, Microsoft Tech Support will walk you through the hotfix solution process that includes editing the regedit value from 1 to 0 ( so you don't need a password). But you can avoid the password issue completely by following what Jimmy suggested to pass through to automatic recovery process.( Don't choose the first "R" option; choose " install" instead and then choose the second "R" option on the next screen.)

I only have Dell OE XP Cds. That's the way their CDs work: you get two shots to do a repair, but don't choose the first one.

BTW, the easiest way to do these repairs is to create a slipstream CD that merges the original Dell OE XP or SP1 or SP1a CD with a SP2 upgrade. The system will usually reject a repair if you try to use the original SP1 CD to repair a upgraded SP2 install ( you are trying to overwirite a newer version with an older version).  I do not know if that is part of your problem here, but it can be addressed with a slipstream combo CD that you have to create yourself. ( I don't have the link to that process, but Denny does).

Message Edited by snapplelips on 08-05-2005 04:46 PM

Thanks very much. I tried that.........I am not given an option to REPAIR after I pick install XP. This is a Dell OEM XP CD. I know what you are talking about, since I installed XP on my Dell 8100, and it operates exactly as you state. However, this Dell 4400 is defeating my every attempt to access the Repair Function. I am about to give up on it. By the way, what is "null?" I assume it is "enter?"

Thanks for the help.......

Here are some links for the slipstreaming process.

http://vbdotnet.home.comcast.net/XP_SP2.htm

http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?s=b83b3ca342a75c8193806cb0dec51208&showtopic=223562

Jane

snapplelips,

Was the repair/install able to fix your windows' problems.  Hope your original drive is O,.K. now.

Jane

Might be a problem with the Security Account Manager(SAM) file, or SAM registry file. You could search for info on that.Null think it means nothing (without the word nothing) HA Ha. I guess your first problem was no boot or safe mode?