Can't get my files

[Blundt]

How do I get files off of my vista machine before I rebuild it?
I have a laptop with Vista Basic on it and my girlfriend changed the password... Then forgot it **Grrrrr** She just wants to retrieve a couple folders from the desktop.
I've tried booting to a knoppix disk, and I'm able to see some places on the hard drive, but in Public: where her desktop folder should be it's empty.
How do I:
1. see what's in the folders
2. acquire permission to copy over the folders to a thumb drive

Thanks

 

[Ardneh]

This has worked for me in the past.

Ophcrack

 

[zigzag3143]

Blundt

She changed the password then forgot it. She wants some files off of it now. Hummm

Can we get some info about the computer,files, who is the admin, etc

If she isnt the admin, and you aren't who is? can you ask them


Ken

 

[Blundt]

Dell Latitude, I don't have admin password I got the machine from Ebay and it simply boots to "user" and asks for a password. The transaction was almost 6 months ago and the sellers information is no longer available

 

[lemur]

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/102005-reset-user-account-password.html

Courtesy of Brink

 

[zigzag3143]

Dell Latitude, I don't have admin password I got the machine from Ebay and it simply boots to "user" and asks for a password. The transaction was almost 6 months ago and the sellers information is no longer available

Ok so you dont know the admin password since you bought it on ebay. Your girlfriend entered what password which she cant now rember?

So there is one user on the computer correct? is that user a regular user or admin?

 

[whs]

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/102005-reset-user-account-password.html

Courtesy of Brink

Iffy, Iffy!!!

 

[Blundt]

I think it's a regular user

 

[lemur]

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/102005-reset-user-account-password.html

Courtesy of Brink

Iffy, Iffy!!!

You mean suspicious??

 

[zigzag3143]

I think it's a regular user

OK so the one account is a regular user. have you had to use the admin account before your girlfriend added the password?

ken

 

[Blundt]

I took it as iffy because it loses files when you use it

 

[Blundt]

I think it's a regular user

OK so the one account is a regular user. have you had to use the admin account before your girlfriend added the password?

ken

I haven't had the admin account

 

[SIW2]

As long as you don't have encrypted files - you should be OK to use the NT tool in Brink's tutorial.

If you are using a bootdisc, e.g. Linux - you don't need any permissions to copy stuff off.

 

[whs]

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/102005-reset-user-account-password.html

Courtesy of Brink

Iffy, Iffy!!!

You mean suspicious??

I mean teaching people how to break into a machine that is password protected is questionable. You never know whether their story is genuine. At another Forum where I participate since a couple of years we have long stopped going down that path.

 

[Blundt]

As long as you don't have encrypted files - you should be OK to use the NT tool in Brink's tutorial.

If you are using a bootdisc, e.g. Linux - you don't need any permissions to copy stuff off.

Thnaks, you put me on the right path. I found two windows installations were on the disk, and her files were on /dev/sda2/public/default/desktop... I was looking in /dev/sda1

You rock, thanks

 

[Blundt]

I mean teaching people how to break into a machine that is password protected is questionable. You never know whether their story is genuine. At another Forum where I participate since a couple of years we have long stopped going down that path.

I understand your position, It's not like a national security issue. I got it anyway, thanks. BTW My girlfreind is jazzed and thanks you all.

 

[zigzag3143]

Blundt

Im glad you were able to retrieve your/her data. Sometimes we walk a fine line between helping or not helping because of the legalities of the situation. Its a knife edge between someone who should get access and someone who shouldn't

KEn