HELP! system restore screws up log in

[andy_b]

Laptop has been getting slower and slower using Adobe Illustrator, so tried to clear all the tmp files related to adobe, whic I did but still didnt work.

Anyway, read up and it was suggested a system restore was done. Did one from end of May, beginning of June when I know it was OK. However, now I cant log in using my current or previous (or any other passwords).

Any ideas how I can get back in if at all

Running XP Pro on it (well was!) and had admin rights

Any help would be appreciated

[aldi]

Is num-lock on?

Do you know the password for the 'administrator' account? ctrl-alt-del twice on the welcome screen will get you an old style login where you can login as administrator and reset your password.

Failing that, in this situation I use a Magic Disk of Doom to reset admin passwords, created using a package called 'passware'. No doubt there are numerous other utils out there... this looks OK:

http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/bootdisk.html

Havent used it myself though.

Forgot to mention, on the old-skool login screen try typing your password in the username field so it appears in plain text, just to check if you've got a weird keyboard layout installed or a dodgy key or something.

>> Edited by aldi on Friday 22 July 09:50