another project - Toshiba Tecra 730cdt

**lynchknot** · February 14th, 2005, 19:34 PM

Hello. I have before me a friend's Toshiba Tecra 730cdt laptop. It is running windows 2000(me?). She wants to upgrade to xp but I have not been able to bring up bios (battery died, forgot cable at her house) She said bios is passworded and she does not know it. Does anyone know a way to change or delete the password? Thanks

**edit - I taped 12volt power supply wires onto battery - was able to boot to bios but did not see much as charge was not long enough. Is anyone familiar with this bios? Is there a boot selector? thaks

***edit - so I guess this OS is best for this pC - I just need to know how to delete(?) all the accounts or reset passwords because I can not get pass login without a password. In bios I think is said "not assigned" - not sure what that means.

**Big Booger** · February 15th, 2005, 03:08 AM

I think you can install XP on that computer. However it won't run that grand. You could reinstall the current OS that is on it. That would delete all the login issues you are having.

If the BIOS says the login password is not assigned, then the computer does not have a BIOS password assigned. The login password is done by the OS, not the BIOS.

To clear a login password, you'll need to know which OS is installed. Is it ME or 2000?

http://www.petri.co.il/forgot_admini...ogon_trick.htm

check that page for getting past the admin login on windows 2000.. but it is a very involved process. You'd be better off just reformatting and starting fresh.

**lynchknot** · February 15th, 2005, 17:14 PM

This PC has sentimental values. Her brother died and this was his. He was a game creator and one of his games are in it. What do you think of this? - http://www.lostpassword.com/windows-xp-2000-nt.htm

It's windows 2000 pro

**lynchknot** · February 15th, 2005, 19:31 PM

Question: Boot priority: I set for FDD>>built in HDD - does not boot from CD. The CD lights are on though. Wait, "FDD" is floppy drive isn't it? So then I need to boot from "second HDD" as that is the only logical answer (even though it's no a HD)

**edit - nope - damn, it's still going to windows.

**Hawkers** · February 15th, 2005, 20:21 PM

Originally Posted by lynchknot

Question: Boot priority: I set for FDD>>built in HDD - does not boot from CD. The CD lights are on though. Wait, "FDD" is floppy drive isn't it? So then I need to boot from "second HDD" as that is the only logical answer (even though it's no a HD)

**edit - nope - damn, it's still going to windows.

FDD= Floppy Disk Drive.

**lynchknot** · February 15th, 2005, 20:25 PM

That's odd, this pc has no floppy drive.

**zipp51** · February 15th, 2005, 20:27 PM

Lynch,can you get into windows?If so then run your recovery cd's from there,if you can.Also there may be utilities for the laptop which will eliminate the recovery partition and add to the rest of the drive as well as reformat it,check the website.

**lynchknot** · February 15th, 2005, 20:33 PM

I don't have the password to get into windows and the CD drive works but is not booting. There is the full install CD and update CD but...........it's not going to do any good.

**Hawkers** · February 15th, 2005, 21:11 PM

specs

http://www.csd.toshiba.com/cgi-bin/t...ceghdgngdgmn.0

This laptop's BIOS doesn't support boot to cd or USB. There should be an interchangable floppy drive that goes where the cd is.

**zipp51** · February 15th, 2005, 21:16 PM

The only other thing I can think of is to ask your friend if she has an external swappable FDD that came with it(the specs say it has one included),that way you can try formating with a win 98 boot disk.A new hard drive is still cheaper than bringing the laptop to a tech shop or scrapping it altogether.$76 for a new 40gb 5400 rpm @ New Egg.

**lynchknot** · February 15th, 2005, 22:02 PM

A new hard drive is still cheaper than bringing the laptop to a tech shop or scrapping it altogether.$76 for a new 40gb 5400 rpm @ New Egg.
__________________

- zipp51, that's not the point. It was her brother's (died) computer that has a game he created only to be found on this computer (and just the fact that it was her brother's) Reformat, his life in the machine is gone.

**zipp51** · February 15th, 2005, 23:56 PM

Originally Posted by lynchknot

- zipp51, that's not the point. It was her brother's (died) computer that has a game he created only to be found on this computer (and just the fact that it was her brother's) Reformat, his life in the machine is gone.

Sorry Lynch,I inconsideratley missed your point.This link is in the state of Oregon for data recovery.Hope is not lost for your friend.DataRecovery

Again,my apologies.

**lynchknot** · February 16th, 2005, 00:01 AM

No need to apologize zipp, I have no emotional ties. I just met her (friend of friend)

**SupaStar** · February 16th, 2005, 05:15 AM

There is a device you can purchase (cheaply) that will allow you to run a laptop hard drive in a regular PC. You will then be able to boot it as a slave drive and extract the data.

I use one at work, does the trick.