Windows 95 Admin Login without Password

[PetFish]

I found an old Win95 PC in the tech trash bin of my work and I want to mess around with it.

I don't have the admin password, durrrr, so can I get in?

Closest thing I could find is:

1. Restart and F8 and select 'Command prompt only'.
2. Type CD WINDOWS.
3. Type DIR *.pwl to see all the usernames.  (On this machine there's only one user.)
4. Delete the username you want to login to (ie DEL username.pwl).
5. Restart normally.
6. When Windows 95 shows the login screen, type the username you just deleted and set a new password.

I get the password window but it keeps trying to access the previous network domain it was connected to and won't let me in.

[ReaPsTA]

Could safe mode (if Win 95 had it) help?

[hunnus2000]

Maybe you could put another OS on there (W95) and install it to a different folder. Boot into that OS and give your new Admin permissions to view that old OS folder.

If it's work, maybe you can find an old help desk staff person who knows the PW. Also, they could have changed the name on the account which is considered best practice.

[PetFish]

Could safe mode (if Win 95 had it) help?

I can boot into safe mode but any idea what I can do once I'm in?

[PetFish]

Maybe you could put another OS on there (W95) and install it to a different folder. Boot into that OS and give your new Admin permissions to view that old OS folder.

If it's work, maybe you can find an old help desk staff person who knows the PW. Also, they could have changed the name on the account which is considered best practice.

The other OS method sounds good but I don't think I have the willpower to actually do it.  I've paid my dues reformatting and multi-OSing these things back in the day.

I doubt I could find the user at work (hospital) and even if I did they'd probably be mad and worried about  privacy and stuff even though when I'm in safe mode I can't find anything of relevance.  Two years ago I found an early 80s Mac in there and it definitely has private info on there but it's not like it's anything even remotely relevant 40 years later.

I'll probably just end up reformatting and reinstalling the OS but now I have to find a physical copy of it or an .iso that I can just make myself.

When I first turned this thing on I was hit with that specific smell from this era of computers and I had the biggest smile cuz it reminded me of that time.

[XJDenton]

If you type in a new username it will prompt to create a new user for you. Windows users weren't actually useful for security purposes pre Vista.

[Lonk]

Could safe mode (if Win 95 had it) help?

I can boot into safe mode but any idea what I can do once I'm in?

I don't remember Windows 95 much, but on XP, with safe mode you had admin access and could create a new admin account or simply delete the password from the current admin user. At least I remember being able to do that

[cramx3]

I think the bigger question is, what are you going to do with a Win85 PC once you get inside it?

[El Barto]

I think the bigger question is, what are you going to do with a Win85 PC once you get inside it?

Play Doom2.

[Lonk]

I think the bigger question is, what are you going to do with a Win85 PC once you get inside it?

[Stadler]

 

[PetFish]

I don't remember Windows 95 much, but on XP, with safe mode you had admin access and could create a new admin account or simply delete the password from the current admin user. At least I remember being able to do that

I thought I did this already but I'll try again.

If you type in a new username it will prompt to create a new user for you. Windows users weren't actually useful for security purposes pre Vista.

I'll give this a try.

I think the bigger question is, what are you going to do with a Win85 PC once you get inside it?

Windows 85!  Probably just try and play old games.  I got the retro bug from watching LGR (Lazy Game Reviews) and 8-Bit Guy.  But, man, there's that very unique smell that these old machines had when they were turned on that I'd totally forgotten about.  It's so great.

[cramx3]

I think the bigger question is, what are you going to do with a Win85 PC once you get inside it?

Windows 85!  Probably just try and play old games.  I got the retro bug from watching LGR (Lazy Game Reviews) and 8-Bit Guy.  But, man, there's that very unique smell that these old machines had when they were turned on that I'd totally forgotten about.  It's so great.

So the guys weren't just joking then  that's cool though, definitely would get some nostalgia for playing with a Win95 PC.

[hunnus2000]

I could never get the strategy of Minesweeper. 

[XJDenton]

Fun fact, even with windows 11 you can bypass any password protection assuming you have access to bootable install drive that can get you to a command prompt.