Win 2000 reset to factory - possible ?

[Channel Hopper]

Nothing nefarious, but I'm about to commence with a diagnostic testing unit for the latest car addition and the software it comes with is for XP or Win 2000 Pro.

2017 HDS V3.017 System Diagnostic Tool For Honda ACURA With Double Board From UK | eBay

Knowing I would not be allowed to borrow the daughter's laptop for much longer which has XP SP3, I looked in the shed and found a semi portable shop unit (complete with touchscreen) on 2000 Pro and will run on an 12v to mains inverter, sitting on the car seat. Downside is it is locked at the first window with a user name and password I don't have.

Is there a way to slave the internal drive to modify, set up a second account with limited access rights , run a USB stick with overriding control, or possibly hack into the data on the drive that will allow me to use this machine ?

I may have a hookie 2000 disc somewhere, but this shop PC does not have a Disc drive attached to it (though I do have a USB external disc drive lying about somewhere) but this may be more trouble than it is worth.

There is also something on the back of the unit for external IDE but it is a connector I have not seen before and is unlikely to be of much help.

Will take images if anyone is interested.

 

[Analoguesat]

Some of the earlier win op systems had a default administrator account enabled with a blank password. XP certainly did - Ive got into friends computers a cople of times when the kids have changed the password & promptly forgotten it!

Some ideas here

How to Reset / Recover Forgotten Windows NT / 2000 / XP / 2003/VISTA Administrator Password?

 

[Channel Hopper]

Thanks will check this weekend.

 

[Channel Hopper]

Neither option worked but after a small search online I found this - and modded slightly so anyone needing to do the same only has to follow these instructions on Win2k Pro

Pull the harddrive out of machine.
Add it as a slave on another machine.
Search the harddrive for Files named SAM. The first SAM is in the WINNT/REPAIR folder and the second in the WINNT/System32 folder.
Delete those files from slaved harddrive.
Put hardddrive back in machine , boot up and enter using Administrator in user section only.

Once you delete these files, new ones will be created.

All working

 

[Channel Hopper]

Pictures
ImageBam

 

[Vipersan]

Hmm this poked my memory a bit ..and if I am remembering correctly there was a password reset DOS app in Hirens that did the same thing ..
of course you had to have a CD in the unit to use it ...
Glad you got in CH
10 out of 10 for persistence ..
;)

 

[Channel Hopper]

Somewhere in the depths of the shed there is a box with CDs and floppies with various older operating systems, and those magazine jewel case programmes, but this was to do with the running of the diagnostic equipment to assess my next move on the car.

Unfortunately it does look like I have to buy a module, which is a gamble in itself, and load up with brake fluid, which I cannot stand working with, but needs must.

I have one more procedure to try once the rain stops but the majority of others on a car forum have suggested forking out is the only fix, I had hoped to prove them wrong.