i want to use an old pc

[Nix the Glaceon]

theres some stuff i wanna check out on it

what does this screen mean?

[Ad Bot]

[Nix the Glaceon]

damn i guess the hard drive's locked or some stuff
i don't know HOW it got locked but it musta happened like 3 years ago or sumn

[Nix the Glaceon]

i guess those old spore creatures are gone forever now :,(

[Mr Queeba]

the hard disk is "locked" and requires the correct password to be entered in order to be used
it might be possible to remove said password. i found a utility called ATAPWD which is located on a disc called hirens boot cd (download: https://www.hirensbootcd.org/hbcd-v152/)
burn iso onto disc, boot into it, select "dos programs" and "password and registry tools" and select atapwd from it
steps 5-8 on this guide should be somewhat applicable: https://www.rockbox.org/lock.html