Need Help

Ghansen

New Member
I'm a teacher just got given an old Laptop used by another teacher who has subsequently left the school, can't seem to log on as their name is still on the computer and don't know their pass word/ other user doesn't seem to work either, any advise? OS is windows 7, thanks all
 

DMGrier

VIP Member
There is not much you can do except re-install Windows 7 or a alternate OS. If on the bottom of your laptop if there is a Windows Product key then you can re-install Windows 7 without paying. It will also say which version of Windows 7 it is, like example mine says Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit.

http://www.mydigitallife.info/official-windows-7-sp1-iso-from-digital-river/

In order for your product key to work you must download the exact version of Windows it says you have on the stickers.

Also you could run Ubuntu, a easy to install OS that has plenty of applications for video, music and office work and it is legally free. Wouldn't hurt to give it a try since you will have to reformat anyway.

http://www.ubuntu.com/download/ubuntu/download

Plus on here if you read it there are buttons to click on that will help show you how to burn it to disc and then install it.

To be honest Windows 7 is a pain to install and update. When I installed Windows 7 on a laptop, with installing drivers and Windows update takes me anywhere from 2-3 hours depending on driver support.

Ubuntu on every machine I have installed it on (about 20 now) takes about 30 minutes to a hour with updates and drivers.
 
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Ultrabooked

New Member
As mentioned here, the best thing you can do is reinstall. You will be able to configure the OS the way you want it and besides the fresh installation will work faster.
 

wolfeking

banned
There are ways to remove the password (or identify the password) on any windows based computer, but we cant help you with that as it is against the rules.

If you want to keep windows (don't know why on a laptop anyone would, except netflix), then all you can do is reinstall. You may not need a disk for it, as there is generally a restore partition on the hard drive for reinstalling at a later point. To get to it, you will need to find the documentation for your laptop. You could also install Ubuntu in a small partition and use the vista loader from the grub menu that it installs to get to the restore partition.

My advice would be to boot nuke the drive, format to EXT4 and set up a Linux install. That is the safest, fastest, longest lasting solution. Just don't loose you password as the only way back in is a reinstall.
 

Laquer Head

Well-Known Member
Surely the school would be able to get you in contact with the old teacher?

Contact previous owner and get the password.
 

DMGrier

VIP Member
Usually when someone has only made one post in about two weeks means they just became members for what info they needed, don't know if you guys seen the date on the post or not.

But if we are continuing to post on here for other people to read cause maybe they will have a similar problem the truth is you should always reformat a computer when you get it second hand. You have no idea what crapware they have installed on there computer.
 

seri

New Member
I think you may use a patch tools to login the OS, and backup the useful data, if you install OS now ,may be some important data is lose!
 

DMGrier

VIP Member
I think you may use a patch tools to login the OS, and backup the useful data, if you install OS now ,may be some important data is lose!

What important data loss? The stuff on there is not for them. The only thing maybe needed is drivers but you can get that from the manufacture.
 
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