I will be as detailed as possible with regards to this problem, if anyone can help out, please respond but please read completely before responding....
I own a Dell Vostro 200 desktop and was running Windows XP Professional w/ SP3. I don't use it much as I have another computer but the other day I started getting a blue screen and it was showing a memory dump. I would turn the system off and then restart and the system would beep six times but it would not restart, just beep six at a time. I checked the Dell error codes and beeps portion of the support site and it seemed to be related to the video card. I had a spare card (same one that came with the system) and installed it.
The system would not boot to Windows, so I figured I would repair Windows so I installed my Windows XP disc and booted from the CD. Instead of doing a reformat I elected to click "R" to repair the current Windows install. It then went to a black screen where it states Microsoft Windows XP Recovery Console. It says 1: C:\Windows. It asks which Windows installation would I like to log into, since there is one option, I select 1.
It then asks the Administrator Password. I have no idea what it is as I never set up any type of administrator password would I bought the system from Dell. Before my system had this issue I actually backed everything up to a USB thumb drive (everything meaning my documents, photos, etc). The only problem is I failed to save/back-up my Firefox browser favorite places. I realize it is probably not a big deal to most, but I had a number of links saved pertaining to my business but also personal items. That really is the only thing I need. I don't want to do a reinstall/reformat as I would lose all of that. I just want to find a way if I can somehow boot to Windows long enough to save those favorites, and then I will reformat and get rid of the system as I have a new system.
I made the mistake of calling Dell, that experience was like pulling teeth. I managed to get bounced around and transferred to the wrong departments SIX times by SIX different "Dell technical support agents" all of whom seem to be outsourced individuals who barely spoke English or had no idea what I was asking. Finally on my seventh agent (after now being on the phone well over an hour) I got an agent and I explained why I was calling. He then said a random group of digits but he didn't sound like he knew what he was doing either. I entered what he said was the password but it wasn't.
So I am stuck at this black screen on the desktop asking for an administrator password and unsure what to do. If anyone can help, please advise as I hope it is possible to somehow save those favorite places from my internet browser, and that's it.