Win 7 asks password on boot up

Hello, sorry for the issues you experienced so far, and I see why you need to use a CD instead of USB.
According to your number 3 above, that is a little too weird (It's a regular login screen in Windows, right? Nothing stranger looking?) If so, it looks like somebody else had access to the computer, and made that account somehow.

It could possibly be a hacker out there that locked your computer like so, yet if they did something like that, they would most likely have tried to contact you to ask you to pay them so they give you the password. Rule of thumb: Never EVER make a payment to a hacker to get a password to unlock your machine. They will keep asking for more and more money, and, most likely, never unlocking your computer, if they notice they can keep mining money off you.

-> Ask if anyone you know may have accessed the computer and locked it.

As another idea, you can salvage the files off it if you remove the drive, and attach it to another computer as a secondary drive (using an external encasement). Connect it in a Linux based OS (the boot CDs), so no hacks/viruses/etc don't accidentally get transferred to another Windows PC. And before transferring files, virus scan them.

1 If that was my computer then
- "call daniel" would be there to mislead snoopers, to get them to think the number meant nothing
- the number would be my own private code for the real password
So you could try asking her if that was possible in her case.

2 I steer clear of all these shenanigans by writing all user account passwords down somewhere secure yet accessible [just as I did with Windows 7]. There's an illustration at the end of my ditty - Create two spare local, password-protected Admin accounts [post #2] in Windows 10, 11 - TenForums
I don't use Password reset disks as they are just something else to keep safe & secure. They are more expensive than a piece of paper & are harder to keep safe.
But do ask her if she remembers making one.


There are ways of bypassing that password login but you seem to have extracted all the necessary files from the computer anyway.
See Option 5 Enable or Disable Built-in Elevated Administrator Account - TenForumsTutorials
If I remember correctly, once the Buit-in Admin is enabled you'd force the computer to a login screen showing every account by holding down the Shift key as it booted. But I haven't used Windows 7 for almost eight years.
Then you'd be able to log in to the [password-less] BiA and use it to create a new Admin account & to reset the password of the problem account.


Best of luck,
Denis

Is your client from the South Bay Area in California?

I used to live in the South Bay Area too. I kept my 408 number.
If the lady lives in the South Bay Area as well, then most likely Daniel is a real person. You can try calling Daniel if you want
(if possible, after seeing the image, you could edit the image and remove the number so ...random trolls won't try to call the number asking for Nancy's password.)
Call Daniel and say you're working on her computer, he can confirm by calling her. You can definitely get the password as long as the correct steps are taken, to be honesty with you.

I would approach this scenario in professional manner where you're recovering Nancy's computer, and you're a professional, and you can tell Daniel to call Nancy to confirm (don't give Daniel Nancy's number though... he should have it...)

pepanee said:

If the lady lives in the South Bay Area as well, then most likely Daniel is a real person.

But

stevem5000 said:

she says she does not know any "Daniel" and does not know anyone form Calif...

But I do agree that the number should be obscured in case it is anybody's real number.


All the best,
Denis

I just saw Try3's reply quoting you from earlier. I apologize. I forget the things I read sometimes. Please disregard parts of my previous post.

stevem5000 said:

Here is the pix of the logon screen...

You could edit that post and substitute this version of the image if you wanted.



All the best,
Denis

Steve, if you want, you can try calling Daniel from your number, but block your number (so Daniel's phone would show a "Private Caller" is calling him, so he won't get your number). Ask him about the password.

If he ever asks for a "payment", then it's hacked.

But you also said it's a little old lady... maybe she forgot who Daniel is?

Steve,

I'm a bit worried about missing things now as well.

Have you tried just clicking the cursor in the password box then clicking on the arrow thing [which would get you in if the password was blank]?
- In Windows 10, startup would just go straight through a blank password without hanging around on that login screen. But I cannot remember how Windows 7 behaved.

Denis