OH! Bollox! What? when? how? why? HELP!
03 June 2004, 05:16 PM
#1
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OH! Bollox! What? when? how? why? HELP!
Left my PC alone (turned off) for a long weekend - arrived home last night and what happens??
WindowsXP is asking for a password to open up any off the accounts!!
It has NEVER done this before - indeed, all the accounts have NO password protection at all!!
PCWorld 75p a minute helpline wasn't much help!
So, started PC in safe mode - to enter as Administrator, that account has a default of a blank password ....... not now it hasn't!!
It requires a password I don't have!
Firewall has remained up and solid ever since the PC was new (2 years ago?)
So, today - I re-installed WindowsXP ....... this allows me access, at last - but when I loaded NERO to burn some back-ups (learnt my lesson) the CD-ROM drive has now ceased to function, Windows cannot see it and searches for an IDE Drive ........... not finding one it continues. The CD-ROM is not seen be explorer either! b
Now, thats too much of a co-incidence isn't it??? or is my CD-ROM drive also up the swanny??
Anyone know of why the PC all of a sudden wanted a password, the suggestion from PCW Helpline is a virus or hacker (its just so, so easy just to say that isn't it!?)
Also, anyone know of how to retrieve my e-mails and address book - or are they all lost?
Pete
WindowsXP is asking for a password to open up any off the accounts!!
It has NEVER done this before - indeed, all the accounts have NO password protection at all!!
PCWorld 75p a minute helpline wasn't much help!
So, started PC in safe mode - to enter as Administrator, that account has a default of a blank password ....... not now it hasn't!!
It requires a password I don't have!Firewall has remained up and solid ever since the PC was new (2 years ago?)
So, today - I re-installed WindowsXP ....... this allows me access, at last - but when I loaded NERO to burn some back-ups (learnt my lesson) the CD-ROM drive has now ceased to function, Windows cannot see it and searches for an IDE Drive ........... not finding one it continues. The CD-ROM is not seen be explorer either! b
Now, thats too much of a co-incidence isn't it??? or is my CD-ROM drive also up the swanny??
Anyone know of why the PC all of a sudden wanted a password, the suggestion from PCW Helpline is a virus or hacker (its just so, so easy just to say that isn't it!?)
Also, anyone know of how to retrieve my e-mails and address book - or are they all lost?
Pete
03 June 2004, 05:43 PM
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Im no expert, but unless you formatt your PC then the address book should still be there, even if you have reinstalled windowsxp. If it is a user password that is sometimes required at start up, try 'defaultuser' or 'default' That is about as far as any technical knowledge I have goes. Infact I don't know why I even look in this section of scoobynet 
Last edited by FX02; 03 June 2004 at 05:47 PM.
03 June 2004, 05:54 PM
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Pete,
What are you/did you use to check your e-mail?
Outlook?, Outlook Express?
Outlook Express creates a set of files called *.dbx where as Outlook creates *.pst.
Darren
What are you/did you use to check your e-mail?
Outlook?, Outlook Express?
Outlook Express creates a set of files called *.dbx where as Outlook creates *.pst.
Darren
03 June 2004, 07:03 PM
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Sounds like a Trojan attack. E.g. a computer file sits dormant on you pc collecting keystrokes in a text file, this file is then retrieved at a later date and the hacker will decipher the file to get you passwords.
He can then log on by remote and change your user name and passwords.
Do you always keep your firewall up to date with latest downloads ?
Also did you just install windows over the top of windows. This would let windows work but your program files (nero, word etc) would have to be re-installed. This could be the reason nero cant use the cd-drivers.
You could partition your hard drive and put all your data on the 2nd partition and then reformat the first partition and put a CLEAN windows on without losing anything. (assuming you didn't format windows at last install)
He can then log on by remote and change your user name and passwords.
Do you always keep your firewall up to date with latest downloads ?
Also did you just install windows over the top of windows. This would let windows work but your program files (nero, word etc) would have to be re-installed. This could be the reason nero cant use the cd-drivers.
You could partition your hard drive and put all your data on the 2nd partition and then reformat the first partition and put a CLEAN windows on without losing anything. (assuming you didn't format windows at last install)
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03 June 2004, 07:57 PM
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Originally Posted by pslewis
Left my PC alone (turned off) for a long weekend - arrived home last night and what happens??
WindowsXP is asking for a password to open up any off the accounts!!
It has NEVER done this before - indeed, all the accounts have NO password protection at all!!
PCWorld 75p a minute helpline wasn't much help!
So, started PC in safe mode - to enter as Administrator, that account has a default of a blank password ....... not now it hasn't!! It requires a password I don't have!
Firewall has remained up and solid ever since the PC was new (2 years ago?)
So, today - I re-installed WindowsXP ....... this allows me access, at last - but when I loaded NERO to burn some back-ups (learnt my lesson) the CD-ROM drive has now ceased to function, Windows cannot see it and searches for an IDE Drive ........... not finding one it continues. The CD-ROM is not seen be explorer either! b
Now, thats too much of a co-incidence isn't it??? or is my CD-ROM drive also up the swanny??
Anyone know of why the PC all of a sudden wanted a password, the suggestion from PCW Helpline is a virus or hacker (its just so, so easy just to say that isn't it!?)
Also, anyone know of how to retrieve my e-mails and address book - or are they all lost?
Pete
WindowsXP is asking for a password to open up any off the accounts!!
It has NEVER done this before - indeed, all the accounts have NO password protection at all!!
PCWorld 75p a minute helpline wasn't much help!
So, started PC in safe mode - to enter as Administrator, that account has a default of a blank password ....... not now it hasn't!!
It requires a password I don't have!Firewall has remained up and solid ever since the PC was new (2 years ago?)
So, today - I re-installed WindowsXP ....... this allows me access, at last - but when I loaded NERO to burn some back-ups (learnt my lesson) the CD-ROM drive has now ceased to function, Windows cannot see it and searches for an IDE Drive ........... not finding one it continues. The CD-ROM is not seen be explorer either! b
Now, thats too much of a co-incidence isn't it??? or is my CD-ROM drive also up the swanny??
Anyone know of why the PC all of a sudden wanted a password, the suggestion from PCW Helpline is a virus or hacker (its just so, so easy just to say that isn't it!?)
Also, anyone know of how to retrieve my e-mails and address book - or are they all lost?
Pete
Did you actually re-install WindowsXP over the previous installation ?, did the installation process not ask you if you wanted to attempt a repair ?.
As Darlodge said Outlook Express creates a set of files called *.dbx where as Outlook creates *.pst.. Now these original files **might** still be on the system, but you will need some diagnostic tools to retreive them. The reason i say **might** is that the new installtion of WinXP (if indeed that is what you did) may have overwritten then, then again it may not have !.........Infact everytime you use the PC there is a chance you may be overwritting the *.dbx/*.pst files.
If you have done a fresh install of WinXP rather that a repair or an install over the previous installation, then i would say you have more-or-less lost the emails....sorry man....
03 June 2004, 11:03 PM
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Come on Pete, don't keep us waiting 
Just let us know, we might be able to help more the the PC world dumbwitts
, and we don't charge 75p per minute
Darren
Just let us know, we might be able to help more the the PC world dumbwitts
, and we don't charge 75p per minute Darren
03 June 2004, 11:13 PM
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Well, here we are - 11:06pm - 6 hours after I came home and started trying to get this piece of junk up and running!
In the end I have opened the PC case and detected a loose wire from the CD-ROM going to the motherboard ..... very hit and miss whether windows actually sees this drive!
The Graphics card wouldn't work .... I finally located a driver on the system hidden away and thats now up and running.
The Modem wasn't detected by windows at all - tried everything, software wise, finally I moved the modem to another vacant PCI slot and, WHAM - windows sees it!! Located the driver and here I am online again, aren't you lucky?!
Anyway - to me it sounds like the motherboard is dying - anyone agree?
Can anyone help me with my btinternet e-mail account - I can receive e-mails but cannot send them? Something to do with the e-mail set up, has anyone got the details of btinternet protocols and server names?
Cheers for the help all!!
Pete
In the end I have opened the PC case and detected a loose wire from the CD-ROM going to the motherboard ..... very hit and miss whether windows actually sees this drive!
The Graphics card wouldn't work .... I finally located a driver on the system hidden away and thats now up and running.
The Modem wasn't detected by windows at all - tried everything, software wise, finally I moved the modem to another vacant PCI slot and, WHAM - windows sees it!! Located the driver and here I am online again, aren't you lucky?!
Anyway - to me it sounds like the motherboard is dying - anyone agree?
Can anyone help me with my btinternet e-mail account - I can receive e-mails but cannot send them? Something to do with the e-mail set up, has anyone got the details of btinternet protocols and server names?
Cheers for the help all!!
Pete
04 June 2004, 12:02 AM
#11
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Oh, frigging hec!
Now, why would the clock reset itself on each boot? ... ok, found it - I was on Pacific Time! Ha Ha .... its been a loooonnnngggg day!
Why would the CD-ROM drive stop working then be ok?
Why have I got OfficeXP still on the Hard Drive (and, it would appear, EVERYTHING else) BUT, it won't let me access it from my new user accounts!?
WEIRD!!
Pete
Now, why would the clock reset itself on each boot? ... ok, found it - I was on Pacific Time! Ha Ha .... its been a loooonnnngggg day!
Why would the CD-ROM drive stop working then be ok?
Why have I got OfficeXP still on the Hard Drive (and, it would appear, EVERYTHING else) BUT, it won't let me access it from my new user accounts!?
WEIRD!!
Pete
Last edited by pslewis; 04 June 2004 at 12:07 AM.
04 June 2004, 08:23 AM
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Originally Posted by pslewis
Can anyone help me with my btinternet e-mail account - I can receive e-mails but cannot send them? Something to do with the e-mail set up, has anyone got the details of btinternet protocols and server names?
Cheers for the help all!!
Pete
Cheers for the help all!!
Pete
04 June 2004, 10:11 AM
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Now, why would the clock reset itself on each boot? ... ok, found it - I was on Pacific Time! Ha Ha .... its been a loooonnnngggg day!
Why would the CD-ROM drive stop working then be ok?
Why have I got OfficeXP still on the Hard Drive (and, it would appear, EVERYTHING else) BUT, it won't let me access it from my new user accounts!?
Darren
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