I bought a refurbished presario from Fry's in Fremont a couple of months ago, all of a sudden Windows XP is...

Question

...requiring a pre-boot user name and password. No one else has access to it. It just...appeared. I went crazy for a day trying every screen name and password I had ever used to no avail. Is it a Microsoft thing? Fry's? Dumb 'ole me?

Answer 1

I hate to tell you this but If you used the computer at all and it was fine and worked, Then one of your friends has had access to your computer they have locked you out by setting up a user name and password, and now you can't get on.
You have one of 2 choices
Take it back to Fry's and have them fix it , or
Get out the Windows XP Operating System Disc and reInstall the Operating System you will want to choose Erase and Install.
Don

Answer 2

Windows Lost Password tips.
http://www.hsinlin.com/tips/lost_password.html
Lost User Passwords. (Windows XP)

If you have lost or forgotten a user account password in Win XP, simply log in as the computer administrator, and go to control panel, user accounts. Here you will be able to reset the password for any of the systems user accounts.

Lost Administrator Password. (Windows XP)

Slightly more work needed if you lose or forget the Windows XP administrator password.

First reboot Windows XP in safe mode by re-starting the computer and pressing F8 repeated as the computer starts up. Then (in safe mode) click Start and then click Run. In the open box type "control userpasswords2" without the quotes - I have just used quotes to differentiate what you have to type.

You will now have access to all the user accounts, including the administrators account and will be able to reset the lost password.

Just click the administrators user account, and then click Reset Password.

You will need to add a new password in the New password and the Confirm new password boxes, and confirm by clicking OK.

All done, you have recovered the lost administrators password!

Can't Log On to Windows XP?
http://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/pub0009/LPMArticle.asp?ID=305

Login Recovery
http://www.loginrecovery.com/
Login Recovery is a service to reveal user names and recover passwords for Windows NT, 2000, XP, 2003 and Vista. As long as you have physical access to the computer, your passwords can be recovered

By following three simple steps, over 98.5% of passwords can be recovered within less than ten minutes. This service does not overwrite passwords, it does not write anything to the hard drive, it does not alter the computer in any way.

http://www.lostpassword.com/

Password Recovery XP
http://www.iopus.com/password_recovery.htm

How to Reset Forgotten Windows XP Passwords
http://www.goitexpert.com/entry.cfm?entry=How-to-Reset-Forgotten-Windows-XP-Passwords

Can't Log On to Windows XP?
http://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/pub0009/LPMArticle.asp?ID=305

Answer 3

in case you inquire from me, you need to in no way pass refurbished - continually pass variety new. each and every business enterprise has a different definition of "refurbished" - to a minimum of one, it must be "It activates, boots into abode windows, performs with out any important subjects, and passes extremely some hardware assessments," whilst to a different producer it ought to in basic terms recommend "It activates." in case you prefer to pass refurbished, make beneficial it has a reliable guarantee on it. If it does not, ensure you need to purchase a reliable prolonged guarantee for it. 30 days does no longer decrease it. possibilities are high you will need it faster or later - the hardware has had a risk to age no count how nicely that is been repaired. In my journey, hardware in no way extremely manages to age ok. the entire Vista vs. XP debate has regularly became right into a count of non-public determination on the grounds that SP1 became released for Vista. in any different case i could say to contemplate the XP laptop - it extremely does not count how sturdy the working equipment is that if the hardware is going to die in a pair months. have faith me as quickly as I say fixing hardware issues on a laptop is neither common or inexpensive - i've got worked in a restoration save that observed a lot of them. Many refurbished computers are, at suited, designed to final basically as long as that 30-day guarantee. After then, many makers in basic terms do no longer care because it is not their concern from now on if it is going up in smoke.