reset administrator password

can you log on as another user is a member of the administrators group?

no, no access at all....

I have ERD commander, but that will only change the local administrator password as far as I know!?

Hi,

If you are looking at to change the local administrator (DSRM) password on to the server then you you can reset it by performing the ntdsutil command.

But unfortunately there is no validated procedure to reset the domain admin password if you don't have access on it and it's not a best practice to do so as this is a kind of hacking.

Make a decision to reinstall the server after having the backup in hand.

1)Is this server a domain controller?

2)You say "access the SAM" therefore, you need to reset the local Administrator password. Right?
If yes, I'll look the a tool I've been using a while ago to remove the local administrators password.

Cheers,
Rene

@PeterLong

I am very tired so I may be completly out of track here.  But if I can learn something in the process, why not :)

I over-viewed the SBS portion because all posts are focussed on a local admin password, which does not exist on a domain controller.

Also, I'm happy you provided that link. That is the exact bootable CD I used to use, but it's been a while so I had to look for it.

So since it's a domain controller, could you please share how attempting to reset the local administrator's account will help resolving an Domain Controller Active Directory Administrators account?

Could you please tell what you mean by the following statement?
>>Theres a couple of links above that earned me a member comment, (when Ive posted them before) be carefull experts! (Theres other stuff on that product that upsets the site moderators).

Cheers,
Rene

@PeterLong

Thanks for your reply.

Cheers,
Rene

np

1.

If you know the UN/PW of any other domain admin accounts you may have created you could log in with those and change the regular domain admin PW.

2.

If you have the AD Recovery password you can use that to log on through the Recovery command prompt, so skip to Step 4.From what I've read, if you have neither of the above passwords available to you, then you must follow step 3 and then on to 4:

3.

You must run a password reset utility for the "Local" Administrator Account, this will reset the Password for the Domain Restore Account I mentioned in the first Item, such as the one posted by Peter-long, to create a "Local" Administrator to use.

4.

Log in Using the Domain recovery option, and use the Microsoft Resource Kit Utilities "SRVANY" and "INSTSRV" to force the domain controller to to change the password.I found Detailed instructions on how to do this, including a batch script which automates the process at this site here: http://www.petri.co.il/reset_domain_admin_password_in_windows_server_2003_ad.htm

However I have not tested these steps so I cannot vouch for their effectiveness, however the information presented all appears to be clear and strait forward.

Hope that solves your issue.

-Q

Found this solution below, thank you all your your answers.

http://www.petri.co.il/reset_domain_admin_password_in_windows_server_2003_ad.htm

Followed instructions and successfully got access to the admin password.