So, I have been trying to retrieve the password to log into Windows 7 from an old Sony Vaio. Not mine, but an old colleague who asked (complicated story, who cares).

I used linux mint xfce from usb to boot, then downloaded chntpw and found UUID from blkid. It also says dev/sda1 is System Reserved (and I'm sure it's Windows, because that's all there is, really).

I know I have to cd /media/UUID (as per blkid)/Windows/System32/config

But at this point the answer is that the file or directory doesn't exist.

What did I do wrong? What can I do?

I doubt if 'System Reserved' is the system partition. If this is a standard install of windows7, it should have multiple partitions including the System Reserved, a separate boot partition, the system partition and likely a recovery partition. I would expect the largest partition to have 'Windows/System32/config'. If you are only seeing one partition, something else major is wrong.

MatthewB,

Welcome to LQ forums.

Another route is to download Hiren's BootCD to CD/DVD or USB drive:

https://www.hirensbootcd.org/download/

https://www.dvtitsolutions.com/blog/...hirens-boot-cd

1 members found this post helpful.

Or Trinity Rescue Kit


@beachboy2 -- good link feed -- haven't tried that one!

I have a copy of Ophcrack, I don't know the difference between them.
What's bothering me is I don't understand what's wrong, really.
I'll screenshot the info from blkid and maybe that will help? I really want to understand our communication problem (mine and the computer's). If I get it, I'm sure I'll be on here more reading and learning.

I like NT Password, still use a super old one for friends microcoughed nt.

A simple will list all drives and partitions present. Normally there should be no free space after Windows is installed, maybe just a tiny area after last partition is not used. If this is not the case then something has damaged the contents of hard drive. If there is something important which needs to be recovered then you should image the drive first and then start with forensics tools.

@Emerson -- re: TRIP TO YELLOWSTONE AND ROCKY MOUNTAINS - 2021

have a suggestion for trip back, so PM me if you want, for I know the West.

Why was this NOT sent as a PM????

Forum tells me: TorC has chosen not to receive private messages.

Ok, so I have sda1, sda2, sdb1.
Sda1 system Reserved, thank you to who let me know it's not the one I'm looking for
Sdb 1 is mint, no doubt on that one.

I tried, but sda2 gives the same result, can't find anything.

I actually had tried fdisk earlier on, but I get permission denied for loop0, sda, sdb. Can't understand why.

I am definitely trying with Hiren. If that won't work because the machine is damaged, I'll just let the lady know.

Thing is, I'm trying to learn, but I get zero useful answers from the machine.

Maybe run a desktop, live, so you can look into those drives better... e.g: https://www.knopper.net/knoppix/index-en.html

@Emerson -- my bad.
@computersavvy-- was wondering why, late last night, I could not send a PM. I hope problem is solved.
Apologies to OP and all