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hometheaterman
Last reply · posted in Computers and Gadgets
This should probably be in the computer forum but it gets soo much more traffic in here. Anyway a buddy bought a Comaq laptop for $200. It has Vista home basic or whatever on it. I've never used Vista. Anyway what happend is is has a password set before you can get into windows. So like the log in screen. The guy who he bought it from owned it and let his sister use it or something. His sister is now in jail or something. I think thats what he told me and this guy didn't know what password his sister had put on there. Is there a cheap way to get past this other than to buy a new copy of Vista? I told him go to Wal-Mart and buy a new vista disk and reinstall it but he doesn't want to spend that much. He doesn't know much at all about computers so I'm trying to help him. The guy that sold it to him told him he just needed to go to Wal-Mart and buy a $10 disk that would allow him to change the password. I have no idea what he is talking about and I think he is full of it. To me if it was a $10 fix he would have done it rather than selling it. Is there anyway to get past this or reset the password?
7 Replies · 12364 views
hometheaterman
Yeah I agree I would have stayed far away from this thing. I'm not sure why he bought it. He doesn't seem to know much about computers other than how to check email and surf the web and I don't think he realized how hard it was to change the password. I think he just went on that guy telling him that it would be a $10 disk and trusted him as they know the people.

I just don't get the point in buying used electronics especially stuff like this. I'm just trying to help him out since he did buy it and give him suggestions but honestly if it had been me I would have more than likely stayed pretty far away from this thing. I'm not trying to talk bad about him or the computer that's just how I feel about it. I think after me telling him what I thought he'd need to do he realized that buying it was a mistake as he started talking about trying to resell it. He said he just wanted it to watch DVD's and that was it. I think thats basically true I think all he really wants is a portable dvd player and this came along and he thought he could use it as one.
mike123abc
If you have the installation disc it might be better to reinstall, who knows what is lurking on that drive. I believe with vista you can use any installation disc and just put in the license key in and it will put the correct version for that key on for you. If not, a disc from the pc maker is probably $10 or so.

Another thing is if it was stolen it could be lojacked and when you hook it up to the internet it will send out its location to the owner.
D
Vista laptops, just like XP laptops, have the license key underneath the box on a sticker.
Get the appropriate version (Home, Business, Premium) from any other laptop
owner (OS disc, not recovery disc) and re-install using that key.

Diogen.
hometheaterman
Well, apparently the guy came back today and said his father got mad at him for selling it so he wanted to buy it back. He sold it back to him. I think things worked out for the best imo.
Ronald_Jeremy
and I don't think he realized how hard it was to change the password. I think he just went on that guy telling him that it would be a $10 disk and trusted him as they know the people.
It is actually a free disk.

Not sure if it works on Vista, but with XP, NT, and 2000 if you must reset the password, the bootdisk that Sampatterson linked to works great. But I don't like changing the password as it will fubar encrypted files if the user has personal file encryption set.

I now use ophcrack. It will crack the log on passwords. Each time I have used it I had the password in less than 2 minutes after it booted!

But either way, it is good that he got rid of the laptop. I wouldn't touch it with a 10 foot pole.
TWiT Tech Podcast Network
· posted in TWiT Tech Podcast Network
0 Replies · 0 views
osu1991
Pub Member / Supporter
Last reply · posted in The Chit Chat Club
1 Replies · 4 views
Bobby
Rest in peace.
JSheridan
Lifetime Supporter
Last reply · posted in DISH Network Support Forum
I know HipKat said that they were working on conversions but we got the official news yesterday right from Dish that starting next month all DMA's will be on the western arc, and all customers will be assigned to that. That's gonna mean a lot of customers around here aren't gonna get Dish unless there are exceptions. Too many mountains and trees.
173 Replies · 4920 views
S
Even if you are broadcasting old SD-only shows, I would think advertisers would still want their commercials to look good.
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Jimbo
Even if you are broadcasting old SD-only shows, I would think advertisers would still want their commercials to look good.
Advertisers on SD channels are probably Far and Few, very hard to find, they have very few viewers to watch them.
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Mister B
Advertisers on SD channels are probably Far and Few, very hard to find, they have very few viewers to watch them.
I watch mostly SD channels (H&I, Start and ION, etc.). There are plenty of advertisers, this time of the year it is mostly Medicare Advantage plans, auto extended warranties and the occasional walk-in-tub. They know who is watching.
S
I watch mostly SD channels (H&I, Start and ION, etc.). There are plenty of advertisers, this time of the year it is mostly Medicare Advantage plans, auto extended warranties and the occasional walk-in-tub. They know who is watching.
can't forget the little blue m&m's
charlesrshell
can't forget the little blue m&m's
That's what my wife calls my Viagra!!
T
Why didn't Charlie end up launching starlink
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Foxbat
Why didn't Charlie end up launching starlink
Because he didn't have a fleet of reusable rockets. Starlink works because SpaceX is able to launch hundreds (thousands?) of their Starlink satellites for what a single geostationary Internet satellite costs to build and launch on a disposable launcher.
T
But how is it reusable if it's disposable
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S
That's what my wife calls my Viagra!!
My gf is 29 years younger than me :shh
Almighty1
Why didn't Charlie end up launching starlink
He does not have the resources aka $$$ compared to Elon Musk as in reality, Elon can eat Charlie for lunch or even mop the floor with Charlie if he wanted to.
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S
ment to 20 yrs dam phone
Marques Brownlee
· posted in Marques Brownlee
0 Replies · 1 views
Scott Greczkowski
Staff member HERE TO HELP YOU! Cutting Edge
Last reply · posted in The Chit Chat Club
Sometimes a thread gets so many posts in it that is can cause issues for the server so that why today we introduce The Song Name Game Part 3!

So let the game continue!

The last song was added by Bobby who posted...

One Meat Ball - Andrews Sisters

CONTINUE ON AND HAVE FUN! WELCOME HOME TO SATELLITEGUYS.US!

Here are the original rules for the game as posted by WebbyDude back in 2006. http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/68645-Song-Name-Game

Just name a song title and the band who performed it. The next person does the same thing, but needs to list a song title or band name which includes a word from the previous entry. Pick songs from any genre.

Example:

Long Live Rock and Roll -- Rainbow

Rainbow in the Dark -- Dio

Another example:

Ride the Lightning -- Metallica

Lightning Strikes -- Ozzy Osbourne


Get it?


An additional note: we all know that song titles, sometimes, use profane words. Because this is a family friendly website it is advised that you clean up that title up a bit. This is accomplished by using something like sh!t instead of the real word. Thanks....
68633 Replies · 2679042 views
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FTA4PA
Strange Days - Nazareth
gms49ers
Dancing Days - Led Zeppelin
dishstaller
Dancing in the Street - Van Halen
long_time_Dish
Bakers Street - Gerry Rafferty
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Bobby
Bakers Street - Gerry Rafferty
Let me fix that for you:
Baker Street - Gerry Rafferty
osu1991
Pub Member / Supporter
Last reply · posted in Movie Talk
53 Replies · 10075 views
long_time_Dish
Also watched part 2 about a week or so ago after rewatching part 1. It's not as faithful to the book as I was hoping for. Part 1 stayed fairly faithful to the novel, but part 2 took some liberties that I felt were rather excessively non-novel. It looks like a prequel series will happen before part 3. My issue is: there's no prequel that was written as a novel, so what will it be pulled from? Or will it just be "based loosely" on the novel?
K
Also watched part 2 about a week or so ago after rewatching part 1. It's not as faithful to the book as I was hoping for. Part 1 stayed fairly faithful to the novel, but part 2 took some liberties that I felt were rather excessively non-novel. It looks like a prequel series will happen before part 3. My issue is: there's no prequel that was written as a novel, so what will it be pulled from? Or will it just be "based loosely" on the novel?
There is a bunch of other Dune written by Kevin J Anderson and Brian Herbert (Franks son). I think the series in production is taken from one of their books about the Bene Gesserit.
long_time_Dish
There is a bunch of other Dune written by Kevin J Anderson and Brian Herbert (Franks son). I think the series in production is taken from one of their books about the Bene Gesserit.
Correct. I've read all of them (yes, it took awhile, better part of a year, in my spare time). And they can't really consider or classify a series about the Bene Gesserit as a prequel. Sure, I suppose they can call it that, if they want to, because it begins before the time of Paul Atredies, but it's still a stretch. It's a Dune-related novel, not a prequel as we generally think of prequels...
long_time_Dish
Well, it looks good! I just hope they stayed close to the trilogy, but it doesn't look like it.
TWiT Tech Podcast Network
· posted in TWiT Tech Podcast Network
0 Replies · 8 views