Need to hack my Windows 2000 computer

[makeItWork]

What I am looking for may or may not be a hack. But here's the situation. I need full control over this computer. All I have is the physical computer and the password to a user account that has almost no privileges. Access is denied on this account to C:\WINNT. It seems like I can execute files from this directory but I can not write, move, or make files and folders/directories. I mention this because in most of the tutorials in resetting the admin password have to do with this directory.

My Windows 2000 computer

• Still works fine
• Is very old
• Can not access the internet
• Has usb outlets
  
  • I can not access any files/folder if i connect a flashdrive
  • Will only accept (to my knowledge) a mouse or keyboard that does not require driver software to be installed
• Has an ethernet and diallup(phone) outlet
• Does not have a disk drive
  
  • Not even sure if it will accept one (In its current state)

Here is some extra information that may or may not aid the problem.
Physical Computer Info

• Machine Type: IBM 6645
• Model Number: W4U
• s/n: AM1FGV
• MFG Date: AK 033

OS INFO

• MS Windows 2000
• 5.002195
• Service Pack 1
• x86 Family 6 Model 8 Stepping 3
• AT/AT Compatible
• 126.4mb ram (I know its bad)

Resources I have to work with.

• A windows vista laptop
• A linksys wireless router
• Hammers, Screwdrivers, Nails

I am up for trying anything as long as it will cost little to nothing; Will not hurt my windows vista computer.

My intentions for it at minimum are to get get admin privileges and get it online and at maximum install linux on it. Since I am a web developer and could use it as a server.

Post will be updated as I think of more information to give about this computer

 

[lopdog]

If your goal is to install linux on this computer you don't need the Windows 2000 admin password. Just download the Linux-distribution of your choice (make sure it is capable of running on you computer), burn to CD and boot from it, and replace Windows 2000.

Does not have a disk drive

I suppose you have a CD-drive, but no floppy drive? If you don't have a CD drive it could be difficult to install anything...

 

[Leeky]

And you'll be needing a mega lightweight distro due to having so little RAM.

 

[lopdog]

If you DO need administrator access I found a tool to reset the password. Read more at http://pogostick.net/~pnh/ntpasswd/. I haven't tried it myself, but as far as I can see you can download an ISO and make a bootable CD that enables you to change the admin password. Sounds quite easy.

 

[makeItWork]

By disc drive I mean it has no cd drive or a floppy disk drive.

lopdog: Yes it does sound easy. But the computer has no cd drive.

Was hoping there was someway to truly hack it throught the ethernet port or something.

 

[lopdog]

You might be facing quite a challenge trying to install anything on that computer without cd/floppy/usb. Maybe you can borrow an old IDE cd drive from another computer for a while? I think that would be the easiest solution, both for password recovery and for linux installation.

The best guide I could find right now to reset your password without a bootable cd is this, but it looks like you do need access to the c:/winnt directory. Can you take ownership of this directory? Or maybe boot into safemode with command prompt (press and hold F8 while booting). Maybe you can do the copying/renaming part of the guide from there.

If you manage to get your computer online, there is an interesting article about installing linux without any floppy/cd/usb drives here: http://marc.herbert.free.fr/linux/win2linstall.html.

 

[makeItWork]

An update I found the drive which my usb is in and I can run programs from my flash drive. Can also copy files from it to the computer. Now the thing to do is find a program that will find/change the password.

 

[lopdog]

Good, that makes it a lot easier to install anything on your computer. I haven't found any good guides to remove admin password that doesn't require to boot from CD, but have you tried this guide: http://www.mydigitallife.info/hack-and-reset-windows-nt-40-and-windows-2000-administrator-or-domain-admin-password-with-logonscr-trick/.

I also found a list of 8 tiny linux distros that might run well on your computer. Take a look at http://www.techradar.com/news/software/operating-systems/8-of-the-best-tiny-linux-distros-683552.