Our family laptop (HP Pavillion g7, Windows 7) suddenly needs a password to log in. We did not have a password set for this computer. We were on it this weekend and it did not require a password. Can not log in safe mode. If this is a virus, how do we get rid of it?
Last edited by JaneJJ; 05 Apr 2012 at 10:36. Reason: The title posted before I finished typing
Is it possible someone who was accessing the computer this past weekend decided to put one on? It could be a virus that has instantiated a password. At this point, you have two options. One, you can use a DOS Boot CD and command line options to erase or reset the password. Two, you can do a repair install. I would go for the latter as that at least better guarantees that the virus will be gone, if one is on there.
Repair Install
Welcome to the Seven Forums Jane.
A trip to Remove Windows 7 Password - How To Remove Your Windows 7 Password - Delete Windows 7 Password may give you some idea about how to solve your problem.
Looks more like a member of the family has inadvertently set a login password.
I was the last one on the laptop, then I hid it for punishment. So I have a feeling one of those sites we were grounded from the laptop for may have downloaded a virus. I wish someone had reset it but everyone but mom was on a fishing trip!! Thanks for your help. I'll see what I can do.
At this point, I'd really recommend the Repair Install. It will likely save you a lot of headaches in the case there is a resident virus.
Also, please make sure you are running some sort of antivirus on there. You are, right?
Nope. It's a really simple process, actually. Just read through the link posted. It details everything.
Hello Jane, and welcome to Seven Forums.
Unfortunately, if you are not able to log in to Windows on the laptop, then you will not be able to do a repair install since a repair install requires to be done from within Windows and not at boot.
If you do not have access to Windows, then you may be able to use METHOD FOUR or METHOD FIVE in the tutorial below to reset the password.
Reset User Account Password - Vista Forums
Hope this helps,
Shawn
Whaaat? A repair install requires you to know the password? Never knew that. Sorry about the misinformation there, Jane.
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