old win server 2000 need access but its still joined to old domain

[revesres]

Hi
I have just been handed an old windows server 2000 and been asked to get the old data from it by the company i am currently contracted to. unfortunately, their previous external IT support company have ceased trading and they disabled the local admin account on the server. is there any method i can use to re-enable the local admin account on the server without actually having any means of logging in to it? i could use a linux disc, but ideally would like to join it to the current domain and transfer files accross the network. any suggestions would be great.

revesres

 

[dberg35]

Was this server a domain controller and is it using a RAID setup? If it wasn't a domain controller then there are tools that can reset pwd on the local accounts and if it is a RAID then linux might not read the data.

 

[paulhthomas]

Hi revesres, if you have some admin accounts from the domain it is/was on, then you may get lucky and the credentials will have been cached, allowing to log on without the presence of a dc. I say admin accounts, I mean accounts that would have logged onto the box before it was removed from the old domain.

Paul Thomas
Important IT

http://www.ImportantIT.com

 

[revesres]

cheers guys. the staff here have no idea if it was a dc, but can tell you it is raid 1. it was part of the old network before the company moved premises in 2006. i tried an old login (no surprise one of the secretary's has the same password she did 5 years ago), but it wouldn't let me in. local admin account has been disabled.

can you gimme a punt in the right direction for a tool to try to crack into it?

cheers

H

 

[paulhthomas]

Hi mate, you'll know if it's a domain controller or not when you get the logon page, if you drop down the log onto box, if you have the option of a local box it's not a domain controller.
I've had a quick look around, it's been years ince I've had to use one of these tools, but this one seems to get some good reviews:

http://pogostick.net/~pnh/ntpasswd/

Hope this helps

Paul

Paul Thomas
Important IT

http://www.ImportantIT.com