Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin (
More info?)
Alan wrote:
> Bruce Chambers wrote:
>
>> sfbayscorpian wrote:
>>
>>> I purchased a computer at a garage sale and I do not have the
>>> administrator password to download and update my computer. When I do
>>> so under my user name, it does not let me and states "you need
>>> administrator privileges". How can I reset and change the
>>> administrator password? Thanks for your help.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Well, you could get the Administrator account's password from
>> whomever sold you the computer. If the seller doesn't know it, you
>> might want to check with you local law enforcement agencies to make
>> sure that you haven't inadvertently purchased stolen goods.
>>
>> However, with second-hand computers, especially if acquired from
>> strangers but perhaps even if acquired from a family member or friend,
>> your wisest course of action would probably be to format the hard
>> drives and start fresh. You don't want to get in trouble because the
>> original owner may have filled the hard drive with kiddie porn, or
>> have problems because the original owner downloaded/installed viruses
>> or other malware. This will also allow you to set the Administrator's
>> password for yourself.
>>
>>
> See the below link and read only the third or fourth option as the first
> two are not relevant to your problem.
>
http://www.petri.co.il/forgot_administrator_password.htm
I should have added that my preference is the EBCD (Emergency
Boot CD) as it provides additional functionality that everyone
would find helpful.