Reset a user password

13 out of 27 rated this helpful - Rate this topic Updated: January 21, 2005 Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

To reset a user password

Using the Windows interface Using a command line

Using the Windows interface

1. 2. Open Active Directory Users and Computers. In the console tree, click Users. Where? Active Directory Users and Computers/domain node/Users

Or, click the folder that contains the user account. 3. In the details pane, right-click the user whose password you want to reset, and then click Reset Password. Type and confirm the password. If you want to require the user to change this password at the next logon process, select the User must change password at next logon check box.

4. 5.

Notes To perform this procedure, you must be a member of the Account Operators group, Domain Admins group, or the Enterprise Admins group in Active Directory, or you must have been delegated the appropriate authority. As a security best practice, consider using Run as to perform this procedure. For more information, see Default local groups, Default groups, and Using Run as. To open Active Directory Users and Computers, click Start, click Control Panel, doubleclick Administrative Tools, and then double-click Active Directory Users and Computers. Services that are authenticated with a user account must be reset if the password for the service's user account is changed.

Using a command line

1. 2.

Open Command Prompt. Type: dsmod userUserDN-pwdNewPassword

3.

If you want to require the user to change this password at the next logon process, Type: dsmod userUserDN-mustchpwd {yes|no}

Value
UserDN NewPassword
Notes

Description
Specifies the distinguished name of the user for which the password will be reset. Specifies the password that will replace the current user password.

To perform this procedure, you must be a member of the Account Operators group, Domain Admins group, or the Enterprise Admins group in Active Directory, or you must have been delegated the appropriate authority. As a security best practice, consider using Run as to perform this procedure. For more information, see Default local groups, Default groups, and Using Run as. To open a command prompt, click Start, point to All programs, point to Accessories, and then click Command prompt. If a password is not assigned, then the first time the user tries to log on (using a blank password), a logon message will appear that says "You are required to change your password at first logon" and after user has changed the password, the logon process continues. Services that are authenticated with a user account must be reset if the password for the service's user account is changed. To view the complete syntax for this command, at a command prompt, type: dsmod user /?

To move a user account

Using the Windows interface Using a command line

Using the Windows interface

1. Open Active Directory Users and Computers.

2.

In the console tree, click Users. Where? Active Directory Users and Computers/domain node/Users

Or, click the folder that contains the user account. 3. 4. Notes To perform this procedure, you must be a member of the Account Operators group, Domain Admins group, or the Enterprise Admins group in Active Directory, or you must have been delegated the appropriate authority. As a security best practice, consider using Run as to perform this procedure. For more information, see Default local groups, Default groups, and Using Run as. To open Active Directory Users and Computers, click Start, click Control Panel, doubleclick Administrative Tools, and then double-click Active Directory Users and Computers. You cannot use Active Directory Users and Computers to move user accounts between domains. To move a user account between domains, use Movetree, one of the Active Directory support tools. For more information, see Related Topics. In the details pane, right-click the user you want to move, and then click Move. In the Move dialog box, click the folder to which you want to move the user account.

Using a command line

1. 2. Open Command Prompt. Type: dsmoveUserDN [-newparent ParentDN]

Value
UserDN

Description
Specifies the distinguished name of the user object to be moved.

ParentDN Specifies the new location to which you want to move the user object. The new location is specifi node.

To remove a domain
1. 2. 3. On the last domain controller in the domain, click Start, and then click Run. In Open, type dcpromo to open the Active Directory Installation Wizard, and then click Next. On the Remove Active Directory page, select the This server is the last domain controller in the domain check box, and then continue to follow the wizard.