If you’re completely locked out of an Active Directory (AD) environment and need to reset the password for the Administrator account (or any domain account) offline, you can do so using the following methods. These procedures typically require physical access to the domain controller and may involve booting from recovery media or similar tools.
Method: Offline Password Reset using Windows Installation Media
This method assumes you have physical access to the domain controller and the necessary installation media.
Prerequisites
- Windows Server Installation Media: You need access to the installation media for the version of Windows Server installed on the domain controller (for example, a bootable USB or DVD).
- Access to the Physical Machine: You need to be able to interact with the machine directly.
Steps to Reset the Administrator Password
- Boot from Installation Media:
- Insert the Windows Server installation media into the domain controller and reboot the machine.
- You may need to change the boot order in BIOS/UEFI to boot from the installation media.
- Access Repair Options:
- After booting from the installation media, select your language preferences and click Next.
- Click on Repair your computer at the bottom left corner of the window.
- Select Troubleshooting Options:
- Go to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt.
- Identify the System Drive:
- Once the Command Prompt opens, you will need to identify the drive letter of your Windows installation. Often, it is not C: when booting from installation media. Use the following command to see the drives:
diskpart
Then, type:
list volume
Look for the volume that has the label “Windows” and note the drive letter assigned.
Locate the sethc.exe file:
Navigate to the System32 folder of your Windows installation using the drive letter identified in the previous step (let’s say it’s D: for this example):
D:
cd Windows\System32
Back Up sethc.exe:
You will want to back up the original sethc.exe file before replacing it. Run:
copy sethc.exe sethc.exe.bak
Replace sethc.exe with CMD:
Replace sethc.exe with cmd.exe by running the following command:
copy cmd.exe sethc.exe
Reboot the Computer:
Type exit to close the Command Prompt and then select Continue to boot into Windows.
Trigger Command Prompt at Login Screen:
At the Windows login screen, press the Shift key five times, and this will open the Command Prompt.
Reset the Password:
In the Command Prompt window that opens, type:
net user Administrator NewP@ssword123
(Replace Administrator and NewP@ssword123 with the actual username and the new password you want to set.)
Restore sethc.exe:
After resetting the password, don’t forget to restore the original sethc.exe file. You can do this again using Command Prompt after logging in (using the method described above), or you can repeat steps 4 to 7 to restore the backup:
copy sethc.exe.bak sethc.exe
Log In:
Close the Command Prompt, and you should now be able to log in with the new password.
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