[NMLUG] Linux to the rescue -- or not?

[usenet1 at myrealbox.com (Valentin Guillen)]

Subject: [NMLUG] Linux to the rescue -- or not?

I'm faced with a dilemma that can be easily solved (I think) by using a 
bootable Linux CD: gaining access to a Win2K machine as the local machine 
administrator.  Quote:

"There are Linux boot disks that have DOS and NTFS filesystem drivers and 
software that will read the registry and rewrite the password hashes for 
any account including the Administrators. It is as simply as:
    * shutdown or turnoff the PC
    * put the book disk in the PC and reboot
    * respond to the Linux prompts
    * the highest barrier is understanding unix media descriptors
    * select the account whose password hash needs to be rewritten & enter 
a new password
    * reboot & access using the new 
password"                                         (End Quote)
Does anyone know whether a similar approach will allow one to change a 
user's PRIVILEGES (on the local machine), that is, to ADD a user to a group 
like the "administrators", rather than to change the administrator's password?

As Tim has mentioned, there is indeed a way to do this in the BartPE environment.  This PE or Preinstallation Environment is actually Windows XP which is altered to put onto a CD so that it is bootable.  Included in the default package which is available for download are _many_ utilities of all varieties like disk diags, registry tools, etc. 

There are other optional images for specialized purposes which are available linked on the site as well.  This disk can ONLY be created from either a WinXP original CD or from an ISO image of the disk, and if it is the original version of XP, there is a requirement to accomplish a "slipstreaming" or special insertion of SP1 into the mix, as some of the tools used by BartPE require SP1.  

If you can't accomplish these requirements or if you need further guidance, write back.  I just recently accomplished this in order to perform diags on a friends system, and had to "figure it all out."  I then even created a customized, personalized boot CD.  

I you'd merely like a copy of the cd, I'd be more than happy to burn you a copy.  

Additionally, the Knoppix CD which another poster referenced does also have some similar capabilities. 

Also, see this website for a _great_ tool, called Insert-Linux bootable CD!
http://www.inside-security.de/insert_en.html
I can make you a copy of any of the above mentioned disks. 
 
Ciao!

vg
 --
Valent?n Guill?n
mailto:usenet1@myrealbox.com