How do you unlock a computer that someone gave you that has a password?

Answer 1

reformat the whole drive, setting it back to the original factory settings.

Answer 2

A boot password? A windows password?

For the former, clear the CMOS... uh, you'd need to check the manual for the motherboard to do that.

For the latter, if they weren't very clever, you could boot up into Safe Mode and usually people leave the Administrator without a password so you can login and delete their user and add your own. To do that, right before the Windows logo shows up, Press F8 a bunch of times till a selection screen comes up and select Safe Mode.

If you can't do that, you'll need to reinstall Windows.

Answer 3

Run a LiveCD (linux or BSD) in the CDrom, and go and delete the pswd files in the system folder...

I prefer the step-by-step instructions in the book (comes iwth the Knoppix LiveCDrom to do the job!) Knoppix Hacks, available on Amazon and Bookpool, or, at your local bookseller, by Rankin, printer is O'Reilly Publishing Co.

Tips 71 through 79 cover Microsoft trouble repairs!

Answer 4

There are several options
BIOS password can be cleared by removing the PSWD jumper.
Portable BIOS password , it is different, you need to call the tech support of the manufacturer, first you need to transfer the ownership of the system.
Windows Password, administrator pswd , the only way is reformating the hard drive

Answer 5

Depends on what password you are talking about. In Windows delete the files in Windows that end with .pwl.

In the BIOS you have to short out the jumper on the mother board.

Answer 6

depend on what window it is. if it is window me or below no problem just click cancle. but if it is window 2000 and above u got real problem.