Is there a way to bypass admin restrictions on a laptop?

[figflair]

I have a laptop that I ahem, 'forgot' to return when I left my job last year.
I've been using it as a backup mainly; just for internet and Word.
While I'm waiting for my new laptop to arrive I've been using it more but when I tried to download Itunes it wouldn't let me because I needed admin privilieges.
Does anyoneknow if there is a way around this or do I need to spcicifcally log-on as an administrator and will therfore need a specific password?
Thanks for any help.

[monel]

Someone with much more knowledge than me will probably answer better, but as long as it's not Vista you can use free apps such as those on the Ultimate Boot CD for Windows (UBCD4Win) to change the admin password. I think there's other apps to change the PW too, some of them cost money. The reason I mentioned Vista is that for some reason, the admin reset doesn't work that well with certain programs. I had to do it for my friend's company and it was a problem with the Vista machine.

[Mayhem]

It's likely you'll need to assign the current user account with admin rights, and to do that, you'll probably need to log in as the admin to assign them.

If the admin account is currently hidden, you'll need to log in as your current user, and see if you can run LUSRMGR.MSC. Go to USERS, right click on the admin account and PROPERTIES, and if it's disabled, untick and accept. Log off and see if you can log on as ADMIN. It might be blank password heh. If not, then you'll need a program, as noted above, to remove the password.

[speedlolita]

Might as well nuke it from orbit surely.

[NW2013]

Might as well nuke it from orbit surely.

It's the only way to be sure.

Yeah, reinstall Windows.

[eastyy]

dunno if this works but isent it right if you go into safe mode thats basically "admin " mode and then go to user accounts and alter it so when you boot up its in admin mode ?

[figflair]

Thanks for the help and advice guys.

Now I have another problem enitirely:
because I couldn't log as admin, I'm not able to download any programmes, including firewall/virus protection etc. which weren't on there already for some reason. I tried to download an episode of The Walking Dead from Warez BB on Saturday and now I have a virus on my computer which menas that when I log-in, I get a banner ad that locks out the entire screen and says I need to pay to have it unlocked, which I'm obviously not going to do.

So, will the Windows boot CD get rid of it?

Thanks again for any help.

[Baseley09]

Yes though it will overwrite all the files on the hard drive. Try starting in safe mode, save your files on an external drive then format with a fresh install of windows....job's a goodun.

[figflair]

Cheers dudes.
How do I go into safe mode? Do I need to hold down a function key when I log on?

[Mayhem]

Depends on the PC. First and best bet would be to repeatedly hit F8 after you turn it on, and see if an advanced boot menu appears. If it does, you can select Safe Mode from there.