Reset domain Admin password on a Windows Server 2008 with only the official DVD install

[ivann73]

Thanks!!!!!!

[smittysays100]

Awesome! Thanks worked like a charm.

[timified]

This leaves me at c:\Users\Adminstrator after changing the password and logging in with it, what did I miss?

[omrizn]

worked! tnx

[afrodit69]

Thanks

[22TBMJ]

Great video, it saved our server 2008 domain controller. Great tutorial! keep it up!

[Thala0005]

YOU are really Brilliant ! ! . Thanks for giving this..........Really helpfull and now words to praise you....

[Victord2000]

Salvation! Magnifique!

[simranjindal]

You saved my life. Thanks a ton!

[DwDtKuroKu]

GREAT MAN. THX VERY MUCH. :)

[moh10ly]

I FUCKING LOVE YOU MAN... YOU SAVED MY LIFE... BUT JUST A SMALL HINT TO THOSE WHO HAVE RAID 0 MIRROR SIT on 2 HDDs... You need to do the rename and copy commands for the Utilman.exe to both directories where you have Windows folder installed.

[TheGibsterSr]

Saved my freek'n life! 

[dcwarcraft]

I can't tell you how excited we were to find this video. You honestly might have saved some jobs. Our 2008 R2 Standard server mysteriously rebooted last night and when it came up we were unable to login with ANY Password. Domain or Local. Using this guide we were able to reset the local administrator password and recover the server. At this point we have no idea what happened to cause this (no updates etc), but we are very happy it is resolved. A++++

[chankcl]

Thank you so much. You save my day. I forgot my VM password and would need 8 hours to rebuilt if not because of your helpful video. Thank you thank you

[hectorsdominguez]

what if I want to change the local administrator password? I followed the video steps and didn't worked...

[PaulKemp007]

Also works for Windows 2008 r2! Great guide.

[gwesco]

Also works for Win 7. I rename the Magnify.exe tool instead and then just click on the ease of access icon then select "Magnifier."

I demonstrate this in the server and windows 7 classes that I teach at the local community college.

[Chudius]

Do you even realise?

[jstump1972]

When i boot from the 2008 r2 dvd and go into the cmd prompt and from the x:\sources prompt type c: then cd windows it says it cant find c:\windows and when a do a dir it doesnt see any folders at all, what gives?

[PigeonOfPeace]

@jstump1972 Probably your C:\ is renamed to D:\ , type DIR to list contents

[popibul]

@jstump1972 Its drive D: because C: is a 100mb partition that is for service purpose

[fireuzer]

Have my babies.

[siobhter]

You just saved me 12hours worth of work!!!

[AnimoRealista1990]

It worked! Merci beaucoup!

[spiffication]

doesnt work on windows server 2008 datacenter. fuck me.

[corrupticus1]

Thank you sooooo much! You rock!!!

[corrupticus1]

Thank you sooooo much! You rock!!!

[thrashassault1]

perfect!

[davej007]

Awesome! Worked for our company today. Merci!

[AhmadSyoof]

you are a bloody life saver!! It works for local admin to by the way

[BorisLucifer]

Many thanks, great trick, saved me a domain install

[Sheikko81]

Thank you very much. I tried it on my Domain Controller equiped with Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise and it's worked perfectly.

Merci beaucoup mon ami

[dj1silkysmooth]

excellent! thanks!

[Hodoseodata]

If this method does not work, you can use Rekeysoft Windows Password Recovery enterprise instead. it is easier to operate.

[spaulobr]

awesome! thanks!



[mrnoj]

Brilliant, you saved me several more hours of frustration.

[CYC0613]

thank you

[pr1apism]

I lost hours on this, but this tip saved me with 1 caveat: Whatever my problem was the net user command did not work, although it kept telling me the commands were successful, even a no go with the /domain switch. I used the command:netdom resetpwd /s:server /ud:domain\User /pd:* & I was fixed. this is after first killing the kerberos key distribution center. Those instructions I found on MS kb/325850

[Silenx77]

This method also work on server 2008 r2 .. tested on my DC controller!! It's a safe method because use microsoft tool .. no other third part lame software

[gordonburtch0426]

I have used an amazing software for getting back the windows or server password. If you want to try than go to

w w w r e s e t p a s s w o r d w i n d o w s c o m

[sankar261]

Awesome...Helped me solve a month long issue that we had on one of the very critical servers....Hats off to you

[ashokselva1]

Thank YOu



[abmllc]

Merciiiii i tried everything as per ur instruction used 2008 dvd but was failed then i used UBUNTU and did it ur savior thanx mannnnnnnnnnnnn :)

[thezenwithin]

Merci beaucoup mon ami.Ceci tres facile.

I would have had to format my Server if it wasn't for you. :) You saved me €400

[uriteva]

Worked like a charm :)

[jdishantha]

Thanks. This atleast saved few days of restoration work...! Keep it up.

[captclueless]

In order to revert the changes I simply did everything the same way in the video up to :49 seconds. At that point I typed move Utilman.exe.bak Utilman.exe

It prompted me to overwrite the file, which I said yes to. Restarted the machine again and then the ease of access center was back to the the way it is supposed to be. Hope this helps!

[syracusephotoplace]

Thank god for these little backdoor tricks. Saved me a whole bunch of work and made me look like an IT hero.

[vortaap]

nice one thanks!!

[walter120277]

PAPIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII­IIIIIIIIIII ♥



[havingfun122]

thank you!

[havingfun122]

god bless you

[mikekongsiri]

Saweet! you saved me a plane ticket to D.C. and a trip to the unemployment office! Worked like a charm when all other attempts failed!

[steputube]

Saved me a ton of trouble. Had an entire slew of VMs I hadn't used in a year!

[cyclonedoug]

May God Bless you. You saved me a great deal of pain. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!

[ichigopanpan]

I would just like to say thank you for this. It saved my ass and most likely my job.

[forsterbr]

Thank you

[toliyn]

thanks from Russia

[TheYadavprem]

Thanks a lot tis video is very usefull and it works really.

[BEKAFER]

Thanks Thanks Thanks Thanks Thanks Thanks Thanks Thanks Thanks Thanks Thanks Thanks Thanks Thanks Thanks Thanks Thanks Thanks

You save my documents

[saqiya]

Thanks a million!

[kalith]

you are a legend, saved me so much stress. It's a bit scary how easy this was though.....

[DannyUtro2]

Thank you! It's really help me.

[DannyUtro2]

Thank you! It's really help me.

[gilbertlsk]

Thanks a lot. works like a charm.

[loydmica]

very good work, really thank you. can you give me a bit more detail how to revert the thing. cause when im using the cmd on the is directing me to easy of access center.

really appriciate

[TheErasmuz]

Does this work on Windows SBS Server 2008 R2?

[antso12]

Does not work on server core. It doesn't have the utilman.exe

[danielmkatayama]

@antso12 Did you manage to find utilman.exe?

[antso12]

@danielmkatayama Server Core doesn't have this executable.

[KURDSTAN09]

what will happen if i have a copy DVD of windows server 2008? is it going to work?

[mathieuChateauLotp]

@KURDSTAN09 no problem

[TheMsa1991]

Cool thanks. :)

[diegolazz]

genius!!

[Pilotgeek]

I love you. Thank you! This seems like it could be quite a security risk for any Win7 based product...

[pogonip8532853]

HELP!! i followed the steps but i have no idea what password i use to login at the end

[Pilotgeek]

@pogonip8532853 : Whatever you change it to??? If you're copying EXACTLY what he's doing, the password would be LotpHacked123

[Fsdelta04]

Thank you a lot. Saved me from re-installing

[liirha]

Thank you SO much for this!

Saved me hours of work...

[abvazre]

it esd awsome.... Thank you....

[eSafetyService]

You are a Awesome. Awesome person, saved me 3 months work THANKS

[IFCSONG]

Wow, it saved my life

[balaelectro1986]

u saved me!! thx a lot!!! it worked for me!!!

[raveekumarsrk]

Great man. It worked for me also. Superb

[AvenirMedia]

))) LOL!!!

[AbduAllaah]

Hey it workd man thanks alot! it iwen changed the domain administrators password!

[mathieuChateauLotp]

@ch0k0r0n: follow the tutorial, then just use dsa.msc from any domain user to find a domain Admin Account to reset

[ch0k0r0n]

hi mathieu, I have a problem because i cant access to DC server , Dont have any pasword and I dont which user have in the DC server. The system administrator lefth the company and need recovery this server.

[mpalv0209]

Great post saved the day!!!

[Moffetts]

Words cannot even begin to describe how much I love you, chateau. I owe my professional life to you. Thank you so much for posting this.

[usmovie1]

thanks alot man....u save my server's life......bytheway...excellent trick rescue ....any win system......

pple this trick worked for me on my Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard edition..

[itman219]

Score! Saved me hours of research work. thanks!

[BritishPCRepairs]

Worked :)

[TheBittterTruth]

Great..job man...............this trick rescued me almost being fired from job......Thanks alot..

[christopherwoods]

Surely this is only the local machine Admin password, not the DC password? Still exceedingly useful to have, I don't always carry the Domain Controller Reset Script with me =)

[TheBittterTruth]

@christopherwoods

I tried this approach to reactivate my disabled domain admin password and worked like a charm....

[krokk4life]

I am SPEECHLESS! Wow! Great job. Works like a charm :) But as a network Guy this if VERY SCARY as well!

[tevlone]

please shoiw me the command to revert the utilman thing, am still not sure....

[madriverlizard]

This worked perfectly on Windows Server 2008R2. THANK YOU for posting this for the benefit of others.

[rohanwali]

awesome! this works !!!

[tevlone]

hey thanks it worked for me too but how do you go about doing the part where it says, "put back Utilman.exe as before" Please help.

[mathieuChateauLotp]

@tevlone : copy utilman.exe utilman.bak

once you changed the password, copy the other way: copy utilman.bak utilman.exe

enjoy

[tevlone]

hey @mathieuChateauLotp thanks a million man....

[shivajiy2k]

Gr8 

[charlesmar]

Totally awesome, saved me a few years of development! :o) Thanks very much.

On the downside... quite alarmed it was really this simple.

[doh35]

it did the work with secedit & gpupdate as well! And saved my day! Thanks!

[doh35]

Any ideas how could this method be used to reset/change local security policy rules? Thanks!

[matarpaeer]

Awesome...saved me a ton of aggro...thanx.

[kuns200]

gr8 man.... u saved me too..

[arunraju2510]

Awesome Tut, saved my day :)

[nuhoanhtuyet]

can some one help me too. i dont understand :((

[Somydi]

Worked as promised, thanks.

[jimmer281872]

can't believe this worked....thank you so much!

[jozwikjp]

THANK YOU. You Rock

[theshipcairns]

dude your brain is heavy with knowledge awesomeness thanks a ton

[genhead1982]

You saved my life - Thank you so much!

[raymondez763]

Thank you so much for this !! Excellent.....

[mloucel7]

Freaking GENIOUS... You save my @ss, I was about to re-do the whole Server...

[Pavelkovinru]

why thank you kind sir

[mathieuChateauLotp]

I should have mentioned in the video to actually do a copy before.

You can get the copy of the file here (one line): Directory of C:\Windows\winsxs\amd64_micros­oft-windows-utilman_31bf3856ad­364e35

_6.1.7600.16385_none_5e9ea1964­aee5579

and here for 32 bit (one line) Directory of C:\Windows\winsxs\x86_microsof­t-windows-utilman_31bf3856ad36­4e35_6

.1.7600.16385_none_02800612929­0e443

[mbudification]

how about restoring that file,? anyone know?

[SteveinNorwood]

Worked perfectly! Thanks so much! You saved me from a total reinstall.

[vivekraghav]

Awesome video... .Thanks a ton. You saved a lots and lots of time mate

[Fleshshredder]

You rescued my rootserver

Without you the only solution would have been a reinstall

Thank You So Much

[acuraboi123]

omg i love you

[bwoolfer]

thanks very is working in server 2008 64 bit

[dr17pepper]

best youtube post ever! you just saved the day... wish i ran across this method before multiple other attempts over the last 3 days.

THANK YOU!!!

[bv0ers]

Thanks for the video! It helped me out!

In my case I was not able to select the OS, because my Windows 2008 Server was not fully compatible (missing the service pack). What you have to do then is the following:

1) Click on Load Drivers

2) Enter as filename *.*

3) Browse to the windows\system32 folder

4) Rename the Utilman to Utilman.back

5) Copy the Cmd to Utilman

6) Then proceed like in the video!

and voilà!

[mysaol]

thank u v much. i was able to reset my admin password remotely using telnet and the net user command. tq