Windows Forum

Ask something
Discussion Locked

User Can't Change Password

0 helpful
5 replies

by nschloss

Closed to new repliesThis discussion is closed. It stays readable, but it takes no new replies.
NT4SP6a with W2kSP1 client. User gets system notification that they are due to change password but when try get 'The system cannot change your password now because the domain Domainname is not available'. Same results when a manual password changeis initiated. The user account is active and functioning properly with existing password. User is on a WAN (with others) authenticating through a BDC on site - only user with the problem. Any thoughts?

5 replies

by benwagg

I have had this happen. Check your BDC to see if the Event Log indicates that it has had trouble syncing w/ the PDC. For whatever reason, either the PDC is not recognizing requests from the BDC or the BDC is not recognizing the authority of the PDC's changes to overwrite its copy of the database.

What resolved it for me:
(SysA is original PDC and SysB is original BDC)
1. Synchronize servers
2. Promote SysB (BDC) to PDC (requires reboot)
3. Reboot SysA (PDC) after SysB & demote SysA to BDC when it recognizes there is already a PDC for domain online.
4. Reboot as needed, stir, let simmer...
5. Reverse the process, to promote SysA back to PDC and put SysB back in its place.

One time I had to do this w/ multiple BDCs. This action forces all copies of the domain database to be updated and the BDC to re-recognize the PDC. I don't know yet why the BDC chose to forget who the PDC in charge was, but as I recall, this resolved a couple other flukey problems, too. (continuous master browser elections...)

by itnetman

Another possible answer is that within user manager for domains, policies, accounts the box is ticked for user must log on to change password. If the user cannot log on because the password has expired he will not be able to log on to change the password.

This discussion is closed to new replies.