Solved Please help my Dopey Dad!

[RealGem]

Hi,

I live 200 miles from my Dad and his wife, so I can't help him first hand.

They bought a brand new Acer laptop for £300 last week from a mail order catalogue.

I asked if it was Windows 7 or 8. They don't know.

A friend helped them set it up with a password on startup.

They can't remember the password.

Well, they insist they CAN remember - it's just not accepting it.

Then they said they have lots of different variations of the password written down, ("little letters, capital letters" etc) but don't know which one is the right one.

In other words, I can't get much sense out of them.

And the friend can't remember the password either.

So - is there any way they can bypass the password on startup? - based on what little information I have given?

thanks a lot

 

[Pauly]

Dont think we can really help you do that as it is against forum rules but google is your friend, it is possible with relative ease

 

[RealGem]

Oh! ok

I did not steal the laptop if that's what you think!

And once I realised he was asking for PC help, I started recording the call, as he's not the most reliable person at relaying information, so in theory I could prove the info is for my Dad.

But I won't be posting the call here, as it's so funny - knowing my luck it'll probably go viral and then no-one in my family will ever trust me again!

For instance, when I gave him an EXAMPLE password using my dog's name, he started repeating each letter out loud (for his wife to type in!) - FFS!

"No Dad! - that was just an EXAMPLE!"


Ok thanks, I understand. But now Google will know that my ID is looking this stuff up!

:shock:

 

[Layback Bear]

Pauly is correct.
RealGem for your reading pleasure.

Windows 7 Help Forums - Forum Rules

 

[z3r010]

I think this is a genuine case so he can be helped, although tbh I don't think any of the password reset solutions will be any good if you are trying to instruct pc illiterate people 100's of miles away.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/238737-user-account-reset-password-windows-7-a.html

TBH I'd look up how to do a factory reset on that model of acer laptop and instruct them to do that.

 

[Pauly]

OK well the boss has given you the link to some info, its up to you how to proceed, if you need anymore info or assistance ask away

 

[gregrocker]

This sets the PC back to the exact condition as when it came from factory:
Acer eRecovery Management - How To Restore Windows Using ALT - F10 - YouTube

Follow that with http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/219576-clean-up-factory-bloatware.html to regain some performance loss inherent in factory preinstalled Win7.

If you really wanted to give them the best Win7 one can have, you could http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/219487-clean-reinstall-factory-oem-windows-7-a.html#post1839164 with our help when you are there. Just make sure there's a readable Product Key on the COA sticker on the bottom of laptop.

 

[RealGem]

I think this is a genuine case so he can be helped, although tbh I don't think any of the password reset solutions will be any good if you are trying to instruct pc illiterate people 100's of miles away.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/238737-user-account-reset-password-windows-7-a.html

TBH I'd look up how to do a factory reset on that model of acer laptop and instruct them to do that.

Thanks a lot.

I know what you mean about getting them to understand, but if I can explain it thoroughly enough, my Dad does take everything I tell him literally (as explained above!) so he might be able to do it.

I just called now to ask if the CapsLock button was on (it wasn't - I don't think), and they tell me their friend is coming back tomorrow to hopefully sort it out. But I've got the tutorials bookmarked in case I need them.

I'll let you know how it goes.

Thanks again for your help

 

[RealGem]

They're sorted out now thanks a lot guys.

They also thought the laptop was faulty, as it kept turning itself off. I asked if it was plugged in, and Dad said "No but we fully charged it on Saturday, so it should be ok."

They were using it all day Saturday!

Awww bless. I can't laugh at them though, as I know I was just as bad when I first started.