Password in Win98SE...PLEASE HELP

[billyman]

Ok, my buddy wanted to set up a password on his computer so his son couldn't get on the computer.

I suggested he do the following procedure:

Click on Start -> Find -> Files, key in *.pwl and press enter. Now right click on any and all .pwl files found and select delete for each one.

Now click on Start -> Settings -> CP -> Network. In the box labeled "Primary Network Logon", change it to "Client for Microsoft Networks". Click on OK. Follow the prompts to restart. When it restarts you'll be prompted for a user and password. Put in what ever you want to use for a UserID and Password and click on OK. You'll still be able to get around it til you do this next step and then you'll have to have a valid userid id and password to access Windows in Normal mode.

Now do this to force a valid userid and password at startup, click on Start -> Run, key in "Regedit" and press enter.

Now in the Left pane double left click on each one of these.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Network\Logon

Now Right click in the Right pane and choose New -> BinaryValue. Name it "MustBeValidated".

Then right click on it and select Modify. Give it a value of 01 00 00 00

Now restart the PC and you'll see nothing gets you by the logon box any longer except the valid userid and password.

When he rebooted, it asked for a Username, Password AND Domain. We never specified a domain. I tried the Windows default "Workgroup" and I tried 127.0.0.1, but so far nothing. Now he's locked out.

CAN ANYONE HELP? PLEASE?!?!?

[Murman]

try hitting ESC at the logon screen, it's been a while since I've dealt with 98 but should get you in... 98 isn't secure at all as far as password protection.

[YeOldeStonecat]

I have not done that "must be validated" on any stand alone machine, only done through poledit on a network with a domain. What happens if you just leave the domain blank?

[TonyT]

restart computer and typ F8 to bring up the boot menu, start in full dos command mode, use scanreg/restore to restore the previously saved registry.

remove all passwords as before and same procedure except do NOT specify any password.

Then reboot and set up a password in bios. This is ONLY way to secure a win98 box.

[YeOldeStonecat]

///smacks head he forgot scanreg/restore///

And I just used it last week working on someones' hosed 98 rig that couldn't boot up.

OK, need more coffee.

[billyman]

Thanks all. I'll try the scanreg/restore. :)

[Norm]

scanreg /restore should get you back up and running.


Here's a few ideas for securing Win98.
Keep in mind most of these ideas can be beaten by anyone with a bit of knowledge.

btw- passwording a bios can be beat in about 5 minutes by removing the cmos battery.

1. I used to have 98 boot right into a passworded screen saver. As long as you hit cancel at boot up, and set the 'default' user to boot into a passworded screen saver as well as your own account, it works quite well. Just add a shortcut to one of you passworded screen savers to the startup group. Just for kicks use the 'scrolling marquee and type "The attempted break in has been logged" (may scare a kid :))
Can be beat easily through a safe mode boot.


2. A really good way to secure 98 is to rename a necessary file before shutting down. For instance, rename io.sys to io.duh, command.com to command.duh, msdos.sys to msdos.duh
Any main windows file will do too, like explorer.exe to explorer.duh
The machine won't boot.
Use a boot floppy to rename them back when you want to boot.

Just some ideas that may help you think up your own...

[TonyT]

I somewhere have a neat little utility that adds manditory password for 98 systems, I think it writes the programming to the mbr cause it cannot be beat by booting in safe mode or dos, and using fdisk/mbr only create a no boot system. I remember I had to write down my password on paper just in case I forgot it.