Login problem

[Ashok Kumar G.J.]

How to login on a windows 2000 prof machine where the local logon rights is denied for all the users including administrator.Only a particluar domain user has given rights to login and the machine is now out of domain.Iam not able to login even with the last cache logon and i want to join the machine in to domain,for that i need administrative right.Pls help me.Thanks in advance.

[Jacob Paulus]

Its a pain in the butt, but your best line of action would probably be a repair installation (doesn't take as long as a full installation) which will reset all of the user accounts, etc. There are numerous password reset tools that can be used but most of them cost money and the others can be difficult to use. See the attachment for a guide to a repair installation on Windows 2000 Professional.

Once this is finished, you'll be able to login as administrator and then join the computer to whatever workgroup or domain you need it on. (actually you'll also be able to do it during the setup procedures after the repair installation has copied files and restarted your computer)

[Thomas Bianco]

attach the hard disk to another machine and delete the c:\winnt\system32\config\sam file.

more info here http://forums1.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=499270

[Ashok Kumar G.J.]

Hi Thomos,
Thanks for ur response.I tried deleting the SAM file. but the problem is still there.Iam not able to logon.

[Thomas Bianco]

i should have noted that deleteing the sam file will set the "administrator" password to "" (null, or blank)

[Michael Dillman]

Have you tried removing any cables (ethernet, phone, etc) and booting on with the old users information?

[Ashok Kumar G.J.]

Hi thomas it will reset the password but don't allow u to login.

Hi michael the policy is like that no one can login except the particular domain user.

[Thomas Bianco]

i'm sorry, i was dead certain the security rights were stored in the sam file, i guess i was wrong.

anyways, check out this KB article detailing how to grant log on locally from a network location, assuming no other rights have been removed from administrator you should be able to grant SeInteractiveLogonRight to everyone

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;279664