"New Owner Password" now being demanded, can't access files.

[scottishagate]

I'm trying to help a friend whose husband is unable to use his computer now. It was bought refurbished and I believe the dealer configured it to bypass the password. They've always just hit "Enter" on the welcome screen and got access to all their files. Since a few weeks ago the Screen says "New Owner"; a password is demanded and we are stuck there.
Grateful for any advice on getting past this problem so I can recover some files for them.

 

[iko22]

So your friend has a refurbrished computer that is now requesting a user password before the system will allow them to continue? And your friend wants to reset the new password?


Well, the usual approach is to use a password reset disk. The snag there is that you need to have created the password reset disk in advance.


Can you confirm that you are saying there was a recent time when your friend was able to use the computer without entering a password? In that case you could try a password reset by using system restore. Here is tutorial instructions for password reset : using system restore.


Hope that helps.

 

[scottishagate]

Thanks for prompt reply. I confirm, the computer is years old, and no password ever needed until a few weeks ago. It was bought originally with Vista, then upgraded to Windows 7.
So I should first search for a password reset disk? If not found, then Insert Windows 7 CD, choose Repair Your Computer, then System Restore. And hopefully I will find a good restore point.
Great advice, I'll try that tomorrow morning.

 

[scottishagate]

Hi iko22, I reset the bios to start up from CD.
Unfortunately can't find a reset password disk.
We do have Disc 1 of the Windows Upgrade, put in drive and tried to start up. But the computer doesn't read the disc, just get a loud repetitive warning bell.
I also tried ISunshare Windows 7 password genius, free trial. Burned the file to DVD but got same reaction, just a loud warning bell.
I have two DVDs labelled Toshiba Recovery 1 and 2, but afraid to try them! Will they put the laptop into factory condition Vista, and erase all the files?

 

[Paul Black]

Hi scottishagate, welcome to Seven Forums,

I reset the bios to start up from CD.

Can you get into Safe Mode by any chance?

I hope this helps!

 

[iko22]

Oh dear, sorry to hear that you got stuck in a somewhat of a blind alley. Never mind about the password disk, we can still recover the files and the laptop computer.


You have a new priority to sort out the motherboard alarm. I suspect the alarm means that the boot manager is unable to find either boot devices.


To sort out the alarm, you need to reach the BIOS again, and locate where you disconneced the Hard Disk Drive (HDD) from the boot sequence. Either you need to put the HDD back into the boot sequence or you need to make the boot sequence start from the DVD/CD Player.


Report back when your done.

 

[scottishagate]

Hi scottishagate, welcome to Seven Forums,



Can you get into Safe Mode by any chance?

I hope this helps!

Sorry no Safe Mode, can't get past the password screen.

 

[scottishagate]

To sort out the alarm, you need to reach the BIOS again, and locate where you disconnected the Hard Disk Drive (HDD) from the boot sequence. Either you need to put the HDD back into the boot sequence or you need to make the boot sequence start from the DVD/CD Player.

I hadn't disconnected the HDD from the sequence. I just moved DVD/CD to the top, and HDD is second.

 

[iko22]

Restart the computer and go into the Boot manager and choose the boot device from there. To enter the Boot Manager you normally press the F12 or F2 key when the BIOS splash screen arrives.

Try selecting HDD or CD-ROM. If you select CD-ROM make sure you already have a bootable CD disk in the CD tray.

 

[scottishagate]

Thanks, I already been into boot manager via F2. Booting to HDD, the machine starts up Windows and then sticks at the missing password screen. Booting to DVD/CD, with the Windows 7 32bit Upgrade CD already in the drive, I get this warning bell. which you said, means the system isn't recognising the DVD as a bootable disk.
I also downloaded the trial from iSunshare Official Website - Password and Data Recovery Genius for Windows, iPhone, Android and Office "windows password genius", but that's not recognised as bootable either.
We have 2 disks labelled Toshiba Recovery DVD, will they be bootable? I am hesitant too try them, in case they auto revert the laptop to factory settings and we lose all the files on the HDD.

 

[iko22]

Okay that is a bit clearer from here as to what is now going on.
1) As you cannot boot from the upgrade disk, you will want to create and use a system repair disc instead. You can create a repair disk from any other windows 7 computer that you have available. For example - is the computer you are using at the moment a windows 7 computer?
Create a Windows 7 repair disc and try boot from that disk on the faulty computer (and remember to press F2 when the computer starts up).
2) The Toshiba Recovery CD will be no good at resetting the password as they will just auto revert the operating system back to factory settings. But keep the disks safe for later, in case run out of other options.

 

[scottishagate]

Thanks, I am working on a Windows 10 Laptop. However I do have a Windows 7 pc. Will it matter that the non-working m/c is Win7 32bitt, and my pc is Win7 64bit?

 

[iko22]

Thanks, I am working on a Windows 10 Laptop. However I do have a Windows 7 pc. Will it matter that the non-working m/c is Win7 32bitt, and my pc is Win7 64bit?

Yes it does matter; a 32-bit system repair disk must be created on a 32-bit computer.


Since you do not have access to another 32-bit Windows 7 computer, then the next best solution is to download an .iso file of the installation media, and burn that to DVD.


There is a link to the 32-bit iso download in post #3 of this thread. When you reach the download site you navigate to English Windows 7 32-bit and choose home premium / professional / ultimate .


When you've downloaded the .iso file, burn it to DVD and you can use that disk as the system repair disk. You can perform the DVD burn on either the windows 10 or the windows 7 64-bit computers.

 

[SIW2]

There is a link to the 32-bit iso download in post #3 of this thread.

No there isn't.

You can use this instead TECHBENCH

 

[scottishagate]

Thank you both very much for your help. I burned the .iso to disk and to thumbdrive, but alas the same warning bells!
So I bought some proprietary software (iSunshare Windows 7 Password Genius), which was finally successful from a thumbdrive. So I rescued my friend's files, yaaayyy!!
They use the laptop now mainly for Skyping their grandkids. Can you help me with two things that will worry them.
(1) Loading up goes to the Windows Boot Manager, you have to Select Windows 7. How can I bypass and go straight to Windows Desktop?
(2) Windows Desktop loads with a huge search box covering 80% of the screen. The search field is flashing too! It takes 5-10 attempts to close. My friend hadn't mentioned it, but now says this was happening before the password debacle.