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Administrator Lockout

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A previous administrator changed the admin password before leaving. How can I get into the system without having to reload W2K Server?

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Administrator Lockout

In reply to Administrator Lockout

The first thing that I would do is to contact the old admin. If they will not give you the new password, I would threaten legal action and then follow through with it.

Next, I would go to lostpassword.com, for $195 you can get your system unlocked.

Don

Administrator Lockout

In reply to Administrator Lockout

The Lostpassword.com would have worked fine, but it didn’t support Active Directory for a Domain Controller Administrator account.

Administrator Lockout

In reply to Administrator Lockout

You might want to try this… I just did a search on Windows 2000 password crack on google and found many password recovery software programs.

“Windows XP / 2000 / NT Key is a program to reset Windows XP / 2000 / NT security if Administrator password, secure boot password or key disk is lost.”
http://www.lostpassword.com/windows-xp-2000-nt.htm
Hope this helps and good luck….

Administrator Lockout

In reply to Administrator Lockout

Again, the lostpassword software doesn’t support changing the domain administrator account in active directory.

Administrator Lockout

In reply to Administrator Lockout

This question is asked a lot here.
First, if there is another account with admin rights, you can use that account to open AD Users and Computers to change the Admin password.

If that is not an option, try this:
Install an alternate copy of Windows 2000 or NT in a separate folder (WINNT2) or a separate partition.
Boot up the alternate install.
Use Start / Control Panel / System / Startup to change the default boot instance to your original install.
In the original Windows folder, navigate to the \System32 sub-folder.
Save a copy of logon.scr, the default logon screen saver.
Delete logon.scr.
Copy CMD.EXE to logon.scr.
Shutdown and restart your original install.
Wait for the logon screen saver to initiate. It will actually open a CMD prompt, in the security context of the local system account. Be patient, it sometimes takes several minutes for the command window to popup.
Type MMC into the CMD prompt and Add the appropriate user account snap-in (AD Users and Computers or Local Users and Groups), and reset the Administrator’s password.
Delete the logon.scr from %SystemRoot%\System32.
Rename the saved default screen saver back to logon.scr

Hope this helps.

Administrator Lockout

In reply to Administrator Lockout

Excellent!! Not being familiar with W2K Active Directory, the first part of your solution provided the answer I needed. Thanks!

Administrator Lockout

In reply to Administrator Lockout

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