Local Admin password on servers.. how to change?

[mackaymonkey]

Hello. I just started a position with a company as their only It person. So I'm basically Adminstrator, helpdesk, etc etc. Anyways, I have very little experience with Windows Server, or any server environment. My problem is that the old admin may be trying to sabotage my servers. I've changed the admin password for the Domain, but i can't find a spot to change it for the local password on the servers. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I'm sure that I'll be posting a lot of questions in the coming weeks

 

[JeffHicks]

The most basic way to do it is to login to each server, go to Start -> Programs -> Admin Tools - > Computer Management, expand Local Users and Groups, open the Users folder, highlight the user account, right click and select change password.

If you have the server admin tools loaded on your windows 2000 PC, you can connect remotely to each server by right clicking on Computer Management (Local) and selecting Connect to another computer and typing in the server's name.

Hope this helps.

 

[bluewhaleCA]

Hi, and welcome to being your own IT dept <g>

IF you are using a domain model, where will not be a local admin account. On DC's in Active Directoy, they local accounts are all disabled.

If you go under Admin Tools, Computer Management on the DC you will see that the local users and groups are X'd out..


Hope this helps.


Paul

 

[bluewhaleCA]

oops... it should read ' There will not be a local admin account'

One thought: to see who has admin rights go to Active Directory users and computers, then to Built In Groups, then to Administrators... right click, go to Properies then to 'Members'. All admins for the Domain will be listed here.

But keep in mind many if not all rights can be delegated via GPO or the delegation wizzards ( I haven't used them yet so am not sure how far they go but have read there is basically nothing you can not do with them ) thus even if the old Admin is not listed as an Admin equivalent he/she still could do harm...

You might consider changing the password they had, and having eveyone else change their passwords ( good idea whenever an Admin leaves ).. then look for accounts which are not in use. I know that I keep two such accounts on all networks I administer for the sole purpose of having a back door to get in with should something go wrong.


Good Luck


Paul

 

[JeffHicks]

One big caveat....If the previous admin was lazy or short-sighted, he/she may have used the domain admin account as a service account for software such as backup, web, or database applications. Likewise, if you do list out all the admin accounts, it is very likely that one of those was used for some sort of service account. It is good practice to change those, but to do so en-masse and without proper research might lead you to late nights and mucho headaches. You can check what accounts were used for services by going into the Computer Management console, expanding Services and Applications and clicking on Services. The Logon As column is the one you need to look at. Anything other than LocalSystem should be noted and the account password would have to be changed for the service at the same time that you change it for the account.

 

[koquito]

If you have Active Directory..GO to Start MEnu-->Programs-->Admin Tools, Active Directory Users and Computer, find the user in question and right click-->Reset password.
If you want to change your password while logged in press CTRL+ALT+DEL you will see the option right there in the BOX A+, MCP, CCNA
marbinpr@hotmail.com

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[tiens]

I have the problem like this on our Company. But it's a litle different. We've the Client with Windows 2000 O/S and need to link with Server ( Win2K ). We've the problem when try to joint a Domain. Another question is &quot; how to change the login password on server ( Win2K ) from the Windows 2000 Client ??&quot;.
Please response my problem. Thanks.