MortonTA
asked on
Reset the Local Adminiistrator Password
I have a windows 2003 server that was taken out of the domain (it was a member server). No one knows the local administrator password. Does anyone know how to reset this WITHOUT reinstalling the OS?
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
ASKER
Sorry it has taken so long to get back with this...
I have the CD that you are referring to and it did not work for whatever reason. I downloaded yours and hoped that the one i had was an old version... It did not work either. Every time I would get to the 2nd step where it asks where the registry files are located, I took the defaults since that is where they are, and it would not recognize the files. i even tried to type in the path and that did not work either.
WHAT DID WORK... We use a managed system's tool called ProSys and we had loaded that on the server a few days prior. One of the tools that it has in it is the ability to open a command (DOS) window on the machine and you can do command line "stuff" - That is if the server is reachable via the internet. the program will login with the System account and so it has high level access. I simply used the "NET USER"
I have the CD that you are referring to and it did not work for whatever reason. I downloaded yours and hoped that the one i had was an old version... It did not work either. Every time I would get to the 2nd step where it asks where the registry files are located, I took the defaults since that is where they are, and it would not recognize the files. i even tried to type in the path and that did not work either.
WHAT DID WORK... We use a managed system's tool called ProSys and we had loaded that on the server a few days prior. One of the tools that it has in it is the ability to open a command (DOS) window on the machine and you can do command line "stuff" - That is if the server is reachable via the internet. the program will login with the System account and so it has high level access. I simply used the "NET USER"
ASKER
-Continued from the previous broken post-
command and it allowed me to change the administrator password. (For those searching in the future, the command is "net user username new_password"
Thanks your the help here!
Tim
command and it allowed me to change the administrator password. (For those searching in the future, the command is "net user username new_password"
Thanks your the help here!
Tim
ASKER
Even though I could not use this solution, JJDurrant was correct in his posting and this should have worked under normal circumstances... I just happen to have (had) a "different" server.
ASKER