Computer help?

Tech questions and answers, video game stuff.

Moderator: ElTaco

Post Reply
User avatar
HockeyMom
Female Sportsfanatic
Posts: 832
Joined: Sat Jan 15, 2005 8:59 am
Location: DENVER, COLORADO

Computer help?

Post by HockeyMom »

Two questions, one got this laptop from work that has been sitting there, and it was given to me, but dont have that extra floppy drive piece, it was once password set, no one knows it, how can I bypass that to restore it or have access to the desktop?


Second i've had lots of experience restoring, formatting computers etc, but the other day another computer took a crash, I am unable to get it going with a restore cd or the start-up disk, can't format it or anything, suggestions on how to get it back?
User avatar
Shlomart Ben Yisrael
Insha'Allah
Posts: 19031
Joined: Wed Jan 19, 2005 5:58 pm
Location: filling molotovs

Post by Shlomart Ben Yisrael »

1. If you're talking about a BIOS password on a laptop, you may be fucked.
Especially Toshiba and Compaq.
If it's a Windows password, just format/re-install.

2. Sounds like a fucked hard disk. Try "The Freezer Trick".
Triple wrap the drive in plastic bags, and place it in the freezer for an hour.
Then take it out and reconnect it immediately, then get as much data recovered as possible. This ain't bullshit, you can Google "Freezer Trick". It has worked for some people.
rock rock to the planet rock ... don't stop
Felix wrote:you've become very bitter since you became jewish......
Kierland drop-kicking Wolftard wrote: Aren’t you part of the silent generation?
Why don’t you just STFU.
User avatar
HockeyMom
Female Sportsfanatic
Posts: 832
Joined: Sat Jan 15, 2005 8:59 am
Location: DENVER, COLORADO

Post by HockeyMom »

Yeah its not the windows password, but it is a Dell computer....

I'm really not worried about recovering any information, I just want to be able to restore it.........

Will go to google and check that out, but is there any command or promt though that I can type? I've gone to google and tried a few different things but nothing seems to work.. It talked about DOS Partition and i've even gone through those steps but I just get a dark screen with a blinking line..

Appreciate your help!
DiT
Eternal Scobode
Posts: 1154
Joined: Sat Jan 15, 2005 9:03 am

Post by DiT »

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&rls= ... ds&spell=1

also try taking the battery out of the motherboard for thirty seconds or so then put it back in.
works on some notebooks.
User avatar
Shlomart Ben Yisrael
Insha'Allah
Posts: 19031
Joined: Wed Jan 19, 2005 5:58 pm
Location: filling molotovs

Post by Shlomart Ben Yisrael »

Get into the BIOS by tapping DEL, F1, F2....at boot time, and set the boot order as CDROM
first.
Reboot with Windows installation disk, when prompted to "Press any key to boot installation"
do so. Use the Windows disk to delete all partitions, then format the disk as NTFS (not the quick format). You now have a fresh, clean partition to continue installing Windows.
rock rock to the planet rock ... don't stop
Felix wrote:you've become very bitter since you became jewish......
Kierland drop-kicking Wolftard wrote: Aren’t you part of the silent generation?
Why don’t you just STFU.
User avatar
HockeyMom
Female Sportsfanatic
Posts: 832
Joined: Sat Jan 15, 2005 8:59 am
Location: DENVER, COLORADO

Post by HockeyMom »

Thankyou both! I already tried that site prior to posting, and tried the suggestions but still getting the same password protected info.
DiT
Eternal Scobode
Posts: 1154
Joined: Sat Jan 15, 2005 9:03 am

Post by DiT »

try any of those default Dell passwords in that link?
jiminphilly wrote:
SaladTosser wrote:What's going on here?

A few of us are ruining some tube socks.
ElTaco
Networking Securely
Posts: 907
Joined: Fri Jan 14, 2005 4:12 pm
Location: Northern VA
Contact:

Post by ElTaco »

There are ways to get around it, but in general a Dell Technician is the only one that has the information to do it.
Post Reply