Archive for June, 2013

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Learn the Basics of Directory Services Restore Mode

June 20th, 2013 by Admin

Directory Services Restore Mode (DSRM) is a special boot option similar to Safe Mode in Windows. But this mode is only applicable to Windows Server domain controllers and it is used to restore or repair an Active Directory database. If there is a need to repair or restore Active Directory database, DSRM has to be used. Restarting in Directory Services Restore Mode takes the domain controller offline, meaning it functions as a regular server, not as a domain controller.

Boot into Directory Services Restore Mode

If you have physical access to a domain controller, you can access the Directory Services Restore Mode easily. Simply turn on or restart the computer and press F8 prior to the machine booting into Windows, the system will display the Advanced Boot Options.

dsrm

Choose the Directory Services Restore Mode from the menu and press Enter. The server will then boot into Directory Services Restore Mode.

Directory Services Restore Mode Password

Generally when you run the DCPROMO command to promote an individual server to a domain controller, the install wizard will prompt you to set a Directory Services Restore Mode password. This password is actually for the built-in local administrator account. In order to boot into Directory Services Restore Mode, you need to use the local administrator account along with the DSRM password to get past the Windows logon screen.

It is very important to know what the DSRM password is. The DSRM password provides the administrator with a back door to boot into Directory Services Restore Mode for performing maintenance and recovery tasks. This account is often forgotten by most AD administrators, which results in a significant security risk. If exploited, this security risk can cause high impact.

The DSRM password should be changed on a regular basis. Because the DSRM password can be used to log on in Directory Services Restore Mode, and in this mode the tasks that can be performed are significant, an exploit of the DSRM account can be extremely detrimental to your AD DS forest.

But what to do if you forgot the DSRM password? In the event a DSRM password is forgotten, you can change or reset it easily by using the tricks described in this article: How to Change or Reset DSRM Administrator Password.

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Posted in Active Directory Password, Others

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How to Recover Lost Windows Vista Product Key

June 19th, 2013 by Admin

Two years ago I bought an Asus laptop with Windows Vista pre-installed. I now want to reinstall Windows and fully format the hard drive – however, the sticker with the Windows product key under the laptop is unreadable. How can I retrieve the product key? It seems stupid that it was only placed on the sticker that is destroyed after some time if you frequently hold the laptop on your lap.

If by any chance, you’ve lost your Windows Vista product key, no need to worry! Product Key Finder can recover it for you. It’s a great software that retrieves your Windows Vista product key from registry, giving you access to print or save it for future. It recovers keys for Windows 8/7/Vista/XP, Windows Server 2012/2008/2003/2000, Office 2013/2007/2003/XP, etc. It can also recover lost keys for many other applications as well.

How to Recover Lost Windows Vista Product Key?

  1. Download and install Product Key Finder on your Windows Vista computer.
  2. Installation is pretty simple. Just follow the on-screen instructions to complete the setup and run the program.
  3. Click on “Start Recovery” button, it will bring up a list of recovery options: From current system, From non-booting system and From remote computer.
  4. Select the “From current system” option, the program will instantly decrypt and recover Windows Vista product key, and find license keys for other commercial software installed on your local computer.

After recovering your lost Windows Vista product key, you can save it in a plain text file for easy reference at some later date. Remember to create a backup of your product keys on a regular basis in case of system crash or re-installation of Windows.

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Posted in Product Key, Tips & Tricks, Windows Vista

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How to Create a Windows Live CD Using PE Builder

June 19th, 2013 by Admin

A Live CD is a bootable media that contains an operating system, along with software used for repairing, restoring, or diagnosing computer problems. It can save you a lot of trouble in case of a computer crash or malware infection on your PC. By using a Live CD, you can easily access these files on your unbootable computer and backup them to an external storage device. You can also use a Live CD to clean severe malware infections.

In previous post we’ve introduced 7 free system rescue discs. But most of them are based on Linux and many Windows users find they are very difficult to use. Here today we are going to show you how to create a Windows Live CD using PE Builder.

Requirements:

  • Windows XP installation disc
  • PE Builder
  • A blank CD and CD/DVD burner

How to Create a Windows Live CD Using PE Builder?

Download the latest version of PE Builder self-installing package from Bart’s site and run it. It extracts all the files to a folder (e.g. C:\pebuilder3110a) and creates a desktop shortcut to launch the PE Builder.

Double-click the PE Builder desktop shortcut. PE Builder will ask to search for windows installation files. Click No and specify the source path to your Windows XP installation disc.

pebuilder

Click the Plugins button, you’ll see a list of plugins that will be integrated into the Live CD. Plug-ins are nothing but a way to add additional software to your Windows Live CD. You can visit the Bart PE plug-in repository and add more software to your Live CD.

bartpe-plugins

After configuring your plugins, click on Close to return to the main interface. In the Media output section, select “Burn to CD/DVD” and then click the Build button.

If the build process completes without any errors, you have made yourself a Live CD. You can then use it to boot up your computer.

BARTPE

Congratulations. You have created a Windows Live CD, far more useful than the system repair disc created by Windows. With this Live CD, you can rescue files from your crashed computer, defragment the hard disk and even surf the Internet without leaving any traces!

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7 Free System Rescue Discs to Make Your Life Easier

June 18th, 2013 by Admin

What to do if your computer is infected with malware such as a virus, or won’t boot because Windows files are corrupt? There are lots of errors that can render your PC unbootable and your data inaccessible. A great way to fix computer problems is to boot from a system rescue disc. I would like to share with you 7 free system rescue discs that can be used to recover, rescue and repair your computer.

1. Ultimate Boot CD for Windows

Ultimate Boot CD is designed to troubleshoot Windows and Linux systems, and comes with a wealth of hardware testing, hard drive management, and partition troubleshooting and repair tools. With network support, the ability to modify NTFS volumes, recover deleted files, create new NTFS volumes, scan hard drives for viruses, etc. this software includes almost everything you need to repair your system problems.

2. Hiren’s Boot CD

Hiren’s Boot CD is aimed at repairing Windows systems, and includes a wealth of tools to that effect, including antivirus tools to scan your hard drive, anti-malware utilities to clean out spyware and adware, even rootkit detection tools. Hiren’s BootCD can also help you repair, adjust, or re-flash your system’s BIOS or wipe your CMOS, clean out temporary files and folders, securely erase files, back up your data to another hard drive or to the network, update and back up hardware drivers, scan your system for hardware failures, repair lost or damaged partitions, and much much more.

3. Trinity Rescue Kit

Trinity Rescue Kit is a free command-line Live CD Linux distribution created especially for rescuing Windows PCs. It can run on a CD (or a USB stick if you prefer) and once booted gives you tools to reset lost Windows password, scan hard drives for viruses and malware, clone drives, recover lost partitions, even open up the drives as network shares so you can get files off of them and to other computers on your network.

4. Emergency Boot CD

Emergency Boot CD is a self-contained bootable OS on live CD, intended for system recovery in the case of software or hardware faults. It is able to create backup copies of normally working system and restore system to saved state. You can use also use it to restore access to your PC when you forgot Windows password, fix various boot related problems, create/format/delete and wipe partitions.

5. Ubuntu

Ubuntu can be an extremely effective tool for repairing and working on computers. It gives you access to your computer and back up all of your files in ways Windows can’t – or when Windows is completely broken. Ubuntu Live CD also comes with GParted, which is a pretty amazing drive partitioning program. If you’re looking to re-size your Windows partition, or turn some empty space into a secondary partition, this is the tool you’re looking for.

6. BartPE

Bart’s PE Builder helps you build a BartPE (Bart Preinstalled Environment) bootable Windows CD-Rom or DVD from the original Windows XP installation/setup CD, very suitable for PC maintenance tasks.

It will give you a complete Win32 environment with network support, a graphical user interface and FAT/NTFS/CDFS filesystem support. Very handy for burn-in testing systems with no OS, rescuing files to a network share, virus scan and so on.

7. Knoppix

Knoppix is a Debian-based Linux distribution and one of the first Linux live CDs that was available. It lets you restore your boot loader to your master boot record, back up hard drives, and repair file systems. It even works as a great Windows recovery CD, as you can read and write to all the major Windows file systems, including FAT, FAT32, and NTFS. It can restore corrupted system files, back up documents and settings, scan the system for viruses, and even edit the Windows Registry.

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Posted in Free Software, Others

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How to Reset Lost Windows Password on Compaq Presario Laptop

June 18th, 2013 by Admin

My sister forgot the password to her Windows Vista Compaq computer, and it is the only account on the computer. Is there anyway to unlock or reset it? She doesn’t have a password hint or a password reset disc. Thanks in advance.

Forgot Windows 7, Vista or XP password on your Compaq Presario laptop? Can’t access an old laptop which you haven’t used for a long time? The only method that most people will think of is re-installation of Windows but it will mean loss of important data and settings. Fortunately, now there are programs which make it easy for us to reset Windows admin/user password easily. Here I’ll walk you through how to use a password removal CD/USB drive to reset lost Windows password on Compaq Presario laptop.

Requirements

  • An alternate computer you can use to make a password removal CD/USB drive
  • A blank CD or USB flash drive

How to Reset Lost Windows Password on Compaq Presario Laptop?

First, download the Reset Windows Password utility and save it on your alternate computer. Unzip the download file and you’ll find a bootable CD image file: ResetWindowsPwd.iso. Burn the ISO image to a blank CD or USB flash drive using ISO2Disc program.

Now you need to use the password removal CD/USB drive to boot your locked Compaq Presario Laptop. Connect the CD/USB drive into the computer and turn it on. You may see a screen that says, “Press XXX for Boot Menu”. This indicates the key you need to press to enter the Boot Menu.

Choose the CD/DVD-ROM Drive or Removable Device from the Boot Menu, the computer will try to load the operating system inside the password removal CD/USB drive. After a while, you’ll see the Reset Windows Password program, which displays a list of local accounts existing in your Windows SAM database.

Select your Windows account and then click on “Reset Password” button. The program will prompt you to confirm the operation. After confirmation, it will remove your Windows user password in no time.

Now you’ve already reset lost Windows password on your Compaq Presario Laptop. Restart the computer and remove the CD/USB drive, you can then log into your Windows user account without a password. Enjoy it!

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Posted in Tips & Tricks, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP

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Forgot Windows 7 Password to Your Acer Aspire Laptop

June 17th, 2013 by Admin

I had not used my Acer Aspire computer in a couple of years and had this computer as a backup computer. I set a password for the administrator account and can not remember it. Can I somehow get into the computer to reset it?

Forgot Windows 7 password on your Acer Aspire laptop? Or your friend changed the Acer login password without telling you what it is? If so, then this is the stuff you are looking for. Windows passwords are set and used to keep the laptop or PC secure, but can sometimes prove disastrous. In this tutorial we’ll show you how to reset forgotten Windows 7 password on an Acer Aspire laptop using a boot CD or USB drive.

Forgot Windows 7 Password to Your Acer Aspire Laptop? How to Reset it?

Firstly, you need to create a password cracking boot CD/USB drive on an alternate PC. Download the ZIP archive of Reset Windows Password utility. Unzip the download file and you’ll find the ResetWindowsPwd.iso file which needs to be burned onto a CD or USB drive using ISO2Disc program.

Once you’ve created a password cracking boot CD/USB drive. Power on your locked Acer Aspire laptop. Press the F12 key while the system is performing the power-on self-test (POST). When you see the Boot Menu, choose the CD/DVD-ROM Drive or Removable Drive to let your PC to boot from your password cracking CD/USB drive.

After the booting procedure is complete, you’ll see the Reset Windows Password program appears. The program automatically searches your Windows 7 SAM registry file and displays user accounts available on your Acer laptop.

Choose a user account and then click on “Reset Password” button. The program quickly removes the existing password and unlock your user account. Restart your Acer laptop and remove the boot CD/USB drive. You can then log into your Windows 7 user account without a password.

Conclusion

There are lots of ways to unlock or reset Windows 7 password, but this method should be the easiest way for you to reset lost or forgotten Windows 7 password for your Acer Aspire laptop.

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Posted in Others, Tips & Tricks, Windows 7

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How to Retrieve Product Key from Your New Windows 8 Computer

June 17th, 2013 by Admin

Just bought a new laptop running Windows 8 and where can I find my product key? When unpacking your new Windows 8 computer, you’ll notice something that is missing. It is the Windows 8 product key sticker. Luckily, there is an easy way to retrieve Windows 8 product key from your new computer.

Microsoft has moved to a new activation method in Windows 8 which means you won’t find the typical COA sticker (Certificate of Authenticity) on the back or bottom of your machine. Instead, the product key itself is embedded and encrypted in the BIOS. So even if you boot into the BIOS, you won’t find the key as an entry that you can simply write down. So what to do if you need to grab the product key from your Windows 8 computer? Using Product Key Finder program you can retrieve the product key easily from your new Windows 8 computer.

How to Retrieve Product Key from Your New Windows 8 Computer?

  1. Download and install Product Key Finder on your new Windows 8 computer.
  2. Installation is pretty simple. Just follow the on-screen instructions to complete the setup and run the program.

  3. Click on “Start Recovery” button, it will bring up a list of recovery options: From current system, From non-booting system and From remote computer.
  4. Select the “From current system” option, the program will instantly find and retrieve your Windows 8 product key, and serial keys for other commercial software installed on your Windows 8 computer.

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Posted in Tips & Tricks, Windows 8

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How to Reset Lost Administrator Password with Windows Password Resetter

June 17th, 2013 by Admin

Need to use your computer urgently but what if you have forgotten your Windows administrator password and can’t log in? Or bought a laptop but didn’t remember to ask the seller Windows password? No worries if you’re going through this situations as I am going to share with you a powerful Windows password resetter that will reset your lost administrator password with ease.

Reset Windows Password is a easy-to-use tool that lets you to reset and unlock lost Windows 8/7/Vista/XP administrator passwords on your computer whatever the brand is. It’s a bootable utility that can run from either CD or USB drive.

How to Reset Lost Administrator Password with Windows Password Resetter?

Firstly, you need to create a Windows password resetter boot CD/USB drive on an alternate PC. Download the ZIP archive of Reset Windows Password utility. Unzip the download file and you’ll find the ResetWindowsPwd.iso file which needs to be burned onto a CD or USB drive. Here I will use a USB flash drive and burn the ISO image to it using ISO2Disc program.

Boot your locked PC from the Windows password resetter USB drive that you’ve created above. To have your computer to boot from USB drive, you may need to change the boot order in BIOS and set Removable Drive as the first boot device.

Once successfully booting from the USB drive, the computer will load the Windows PE operating system from your Windows password resetter disk and eventually start the Reset Windows Password program. From the main screen of Reset Windows Password program, you’ll see the Windows SAM registry file and local user accounts which are detected on your computer.

Choose your administrator account and click on “Reset Password” button. The program will not only reset the lost administrator password instantly, but also unlock the administrator account if it is locked out, disabled or expired.

Restart the computer and remove the Windows password resetter USB drive. Now you can log back into your Windows administrator account without a password. Done!

Conclusion

Ever had trouble logging into a computer with an unknown password? Or you just want full access to that public PC that is in your library? If so, then this is the stuff you are looking for. With Windows password resetter CD/USB drive you can reset lost administrator password quickly and easily! It works on both 32-bit and 64-bit Windows operating systems.

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Posted in Tips & Tricks, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows Vista, Windows XP

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How to Change or Reset Windows Password with BartPE Live CD

June 15th, 2013 by Admin

If you’ve ever forgotten Windows password and can not access anything on your computer, you’ll know how frustrating it can be. Well, not it’s easy and simple to get back in. In this tutorial we’ll show you how to change or reset forgotten Windows password with BartPE Live CD.

To get started, you need to download Bart’s PE Builder utility, which helps you build a BartPE (Bart Pre-installed Environment) bootable Windows CD-Rom or DVD from the original Windows XP installation/setup CD. To add the Windows password resetting feature into BartPE Live CD, you need to install the Sala Password Renew plugin into it.

After your BartPE Live CD is created successfully, you can then follow the steps below to change or reset your lost or forgotten Windows 7/Vista/XP password easily!

How to Change or Reset Windows Password with BartPE Live CD?

Place the BartPE Live CD into the CD drive of your locked computer. Turn on the computer and get it to boot from the BartPE Live CD. You may need to get into BIOS and set CD/DVD-ROM as the first boot device.

After booting from the BartPE Live CD, you’ll see a Windows XP like interface. Once getting into Windows PE system, click on the Go icon and then navigate to Programs > Password Renew.

BARTPE

Once Password Renew dialog box is open, click on “Select a Target” button to specify your Windows installation before performing password reset. In most case, the Windows installation is c:\windows.

password-renew

There are 3 options available on the program: Renew existing user password, Create new Administrator user, and Turn existing user to Administrator. For this example, we’re just going to change the administrator password so choose the “Renew existing user password” option and type a new password.

renew-administrator-password

Now click on “Install” link from the left hand side. Restart the computer, eject the boot CD and you should be able to log back into that user account with your new password.

Conclusion

So this is how can you reset or change forgotten Windows password with BartPE Live CD. If you still can’t get it to work or the Live CD is incompatible with your computer, I recommend you use the most powerful Windows password recovery software – Reset Windows Password, which could be used to reset lost Windows admin/user passwords on any Windows computers.

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Posted in Tips & Tricks, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP

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