Question to the computer experts

Malte279 · **on:** October 14, 2007, 05:55:52 AM

Hi!
Something creepy is happening to my laptop of lately and as I know next to nothing about computers it would be really cool if someone could help me or at least tell me if that problem is one which occurs elsewhere as well.
My laptop is a HP Pavilion dv6000 which I bought in August. Throughout the last two weeks it happened three times that when I started the laptop my password had apparently been deleted. The same was true for the fingerprints I use to get access to the laptop via fingerprint sensor; they were just deleted. Luckily it was possible to reboot the laptop and access with the password in the safe mode where it is possible to change the password. Following that everything seems back to normal until the problem occurs the next time. Today I was even logged out when I left the computer standing for a few minutes (without turning it off) and found that once again password and finger prints had been deleted. They couldn't tell me anything about it in the store where I bought the laptop, HP feels not responsible considering it a software problem, and Microsoft (the system is Windows Vista) doesn't feel responsible considering it a hardware problem :angry:
I couldn't find out anything via google search either as keywords such as "password deleted", access, fingerprints deleted etc. will of course produce countless results referring to completely different matters.
Did anyone hear of anybody having the same problem?

landbeforetimelover · **Reply #1 on:** October 14, 2007, 06:42:49 AM

Are you saying your password was changed? Like, you'd enter your password and it'd tell you that it was invalid? Did it just sign you in without requiring any password or fingerprint? If any of these are the case, go to google and search up "spybot search and destroy". it's a freeware program that'll get rid of spyware. It could also be a virus. I wouldn't be surprised if you're using the anti-virus that came with the comptuer. They're never good. I'd go get AVG and spybot. That's what I use to protect my computer. Also, try turning off exceptions in the windows firewall and see if that helps.

If it's not spyware or a virus, then it's probably a glitch in the windows vista operating system. If I were you, until they come out with a second service pack for vista, I'd go find a friend or someone who could format it to xp pro for me. I'd be happy to do it for you, but I'm sure there are plenty of qualified repair techs in Germany so you don't have to spend all your savings shipping the thing to the US. One thing about repair places though, sometimes they give you illegal versions of software. Ask them a question about licensing. if they stutter or seem confused, then stay away!

Anyways, hope for the best that it's just some hacker or simple spyware application running around and not a glitch in the vista OS. They didn't do too much consumer testing with vista so I wouldn't be surprised if it's got a glitch. I do hope for your sake that it's just a virus or some other measly threat. Best of luck to ya.

Petrie. · **Reply #2 on:** October 14, 2007, 10:56:18 AM

I'd try what Austin suggested....scan scan scan and see if anything comes up. The only time I ever used a password was when I was in a dorm and I never once had a problem with it, and now that I live back at home, I just keep it off because its a hassle and one more thing to remember.

I know nothing about fingerprint sensors and I'd personally would not put good faith into it because if it fails, you could be in some serious trouble relying on that and that alone. Its only as reliable as the device that reads the print. ^^

So virus and spyware scans...if that fixes it, tell us. If not, we'll go from there when we come to that point.

Good luck.

action9000 · **Reply #3 on:** October 15, 2007, 03:26:29 AM

I agree with LBTlover and Petrie.

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One thing about repair places though, sometimes they give you illegal versions of software.

This is actually TRUE. I have a friend right here in town who had this problem.

Malte279 · **Reply #4 on:** October 19, 2007, 05:55:20 AM

Thank you for your responses and sorry that my response comes so late.

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Are you saying your password was changed? Like, you'd enter your password and it'd tell you that it was invalid? Did it just sign you in without requiring any password or fingerprint? If any of these are the case, go to google and search up "spybot search and destroy". it's a freeware program that'll get rid of spyware. It could also be a virus. I wouldn't be surprised if you're using the anti-virus that came with the comptuer. They're never good. I'd go get AVG and spybot. That's what I use to protect my computer. Also, try turning off exceptions in the windows firewall and see if that helps.

No, I'm afraid this is not the problem (or perhaps I'm relieved rather than afraid that it isn't). The password was not changed, but somehow deleted. In safe mode the laptop remembered the password though. I don't use the antivir software that came with the computer when I bought it, but I'm using Antivir Guard. I updated it daily and it is scanning the harddrive every day.

One problem is that i just don't know if this problem persists. It didn't happen again since I posted about it here, but I cannot be sure if it will happen again.

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If it's not spyware or a virus, then it's probably a glitch in the windows vista operating system. If I were you, until they come out with a second service pack for vista, I'd go find a friend or someone who could format it to xp pro for me. I'd be happy to do it for you, but I'm sure there are plenty of qualified repair techs in Germany so you don't have to spend all your savings shipping the thing to the US. One thing about repair places though, sometimes they give you illegal versions of software. Ask them a question about licensing. if they stutter or seem confused, then stay away!

Might be an option. However, so long I am not sure it really is a Vista problem I don't know if I really want to give up on Vista. It is true that so far I only had problems with Vista, but so far I am still hoping that the day might come on which perhaps I'll be lucky to have vista instead of its predecessors (hope dies last). Also if I get rid of Vista I would not be able to get it back without some serious effort. It was installed on my laptop when I bought it, but the laptop did not come with a Vista CD ROM or anything.

Petrie. · **Reply #5 on:** October 19, 2007, 06:48:54 AM

I guess it could be something with Vista, in which case, there's not much you can do save turn off the password feature and wait for a service pack to come out and see if it fixes anything with passwords.

Also I noted this:

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but I'm using Antivir Guard. I updated it daily and it is scanning the harddrive every day.

Unless you're going to very unsecure sites every day, this is excessive. Once a week is enough; if you're a particularly safe internet user, once a month even.

Malte279 · **Reply #6 on:** October 19, 2007, 08:30:11 AM

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I guess it could be something with Vista, in which case, there's not much you can do save turn off the password feature and wait for a service pack to come out and see if it fixes anything with passwords.

It doesn't harm though to be on the save side. The program can do the scan while you are working with other programs so it is no trouble at all in which case there is no reason not to be save rather than sorry.

landbeforetimelover · **Reply #7 on:** October 19, 2007, 09:07:43 AM

You should get a secure tolken. The computer will not boot up unless you have it in the USB drive. Vista's password protection is just stupid anyways. Theres a program out there now that'll disable any xp or vista password protection just by putting in the CD at boot. It's freeware too and it's only around 4mb in size. I'd get a secure tolken if I were you cuz if you think that vista's password encryption is protecting you, you couldn't be more wrong. It makes no difference if you use the fingerprint scanner or the manual password. Both can be cracked by a program in less than a minute. The program is really easy too. Just pop it in at startup and press enter. It does the rest.