Computer won't allow me to update any programs with an .exe file, says i don't have administrator privileges. I was given the computer by my brother and he doesn't know what the admin login is or how to remove it, can I just remove it or, if not, how can I get around it so I can update programs. He believes his network admin put an admin password on it because he never did himself. His network admin is gone and he doesn't have anyone to call about this. Thanks in advance.2 people need an answerI do too

If this computer was a member of a domain at your brother's office, ideally you should do a clean install of Windows because there will be many domain settings "tattooed" on the system which will make it difficult for you to use. Otherwise see the "forgotten password" information below. If you have forgotten your password, if you have another user account with administrative privileges you can log into that account and change your original user account's password from the User Accounts applet in Control Panel. If you don't have another account like this set up or don't have the password to it, you'll need to log into the built-in Administrator account. In XP Home, boot the computer into Safe Mode. Do this by repeatedly tapping the F8 key as the computer is starting up. This will get you to the right menu. Navigate using your Up arrow key; the mouse will not work here. Once in Safe Mode, you will see the normally hidden Administrator account. The default password is a blank. In XP Pro, you do not need to go into Safe Mode. At the Welcome Screen, do Ctrl-Alt-Del twice to get the classic Windows logon box. Type in "Administrator" and whatever password you assigned when you set up Windows. If you reset the built-in Administrator account's password in Home or have Pro and don't remember the password, use NTpasswd to change the built-in Administrator account's password to a blank. Download the bootable CD .iso, burn with third-party burning software such as Roxio, Nero, or the free ImgBurn . Burnas an image, not as data. Boot with the media you created. You may need to change the boot order in the BIOS or get a temporary boot order menu with a special keypress. NTpasswd will run. Follow the instructions carefully. http://home.eunet.no/pnordahl/ntpasswd/ Then go to the User Accounts applet in Control Panel and set passwords that you will remember and make other desired changes. WRITE THE PASSWORDS DOWN AND PUT THEM SOMEWHERE YOU WON'T LOSE THEM. http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html - Clean Install How-To http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Reinstalling_Windows - What you will need on-hand MS-MVP - Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!