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Feature #672

Reset a Lost Administrator Password on Windows Server 2012

Added by Daniel Curtis about 9 years ago. Updated over 7 years ago.

Status:
Closed
Priority:
Normal
Assignee:
Daniel Curtis
Category:
User Management
Target version:
Windows Server 2012
Start date:
10/08/2015
Due date:
% Done:

100%

Estimated time:
0.50 h
Spent time:
1.00 h

Description

I recently needed access to a Windows Server to administer the system, however the previous administrator failed to record the password anywhere and I am unable to get in touch with the previous admin. This is the procedure I used to reset the password.

  • Reboot the system and press F8 before Windows loads up, this will bring up a menu.
  • From the menu select Safe Mode with command prompt.
  • Once the command prompt appears, run:
    secpol.msc
  • When the Local Security Policy editor appears go to Account Policies -> Password Policy
  • Click on the Password must meet complexity requirements then disable
  • Then Ctl + Alt + Del and choose Change a Password

Registry Hack

Hiren's Boot CD is an excellent tool, however if you've accidentally cleared the password instead of changing it, this will prevent logging in to the server since blank passwords are not allowed.

  • To fix this use an offline registry editor and modify the following registry key:
    [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa]
"LimitBlankPasswordUse"=dword:00000000
  • Or from the command line while the system is running:
    Reg.Exe add "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa" /v LimitBlankPasswordUse /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

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