win2K problem

red_dwarfers · Unread post by **red_dwarfers** » 14 Oct 2009, 21:54

CitroJim wrote: I've just PM'd you...

PM replied

John, this is interesting...I'm going to have a play around with our home setup before work tomorrow to see if I figure out whats going on. I've got a Win2k machine here. PSExec appears to have sent the command and it has run successfully...

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 14 Oct 2009, 21:57

John sorry for the hijack

PM replied Kev!

Strange that as psexec usually does a fine job. A very useful little utility.

Will it fail to do that command though if the domain/workgroups are different between the two machines?

Back in NT days the old emergency repair disk was a godsend for problems like this - if you could ever find it and recall what the initial admin password was

jgra1 · Unread post by **jgra1** » 14 Oct 2009, 22:09

thanks Kev

Jim

domain/workgroups are different between the two machines?

i get a bit lost with this stuff..
the only link i know of between these machines is the wireless hub, one if WiFi and the other (pc) is wired, other than that I dont think they have ever spoken to each other....

out of depth John

red_dwarfers · Unread post by **red_dwarfers** » 15 Oct 2009, 06:57

The domain/workgroup must be the same (or it must not matter) if psexec can sucessfully find the machine and execute a command.

Just tried the trick from XP, creating an account on Win2K SP4...and it won't authenticate. I wonder if the account on the laptop has the same username and password as the other machine and also have you tried the administrator account on the other machine with no password?

jgra1 · Unread post by **jgra1** » 15 Oct 2009, 08:09

hi Kev, to be honest I dont really know what a domain / workgroup is

the laptop used to belong to my office for what its worth.. well, it still does really

i have tried administrator with no password in the main PC

is there a way of seeing if psexec has found the other machine, a test of some sort or a different command? or are you saying that it did find the machine, by virtue of the message it left?

davetherave · Unread post by **davetherave** » 15 Oct 2009, 08:50

Not that it helps much now, but i got hold of a "broken" laptop a year or so ago, and i think it had win 2k (shudder). I remember downloading a utility of the net onto a floppy to crack the password. Had it working in no time!
Perhaps a google search?

jgra1 · Unread post by **jgra1** » 15 Oct 2009, 09:09

thanks Dave, that would work.. if I can get back in as administator..

will have a chat with IT today too

Sid_the_Squid · Unread post by **Sid_the_Squid** » 15 Oct 2009, 09:13

Look for 'ultimate boot cd', it will have a password reset utility for win 2k/xp machines.
Cant say if it works or not though never had cause to use it.

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 15 Oct 2009, 10:49

I think I've got one of those hiding away somewhere in a dark corner!

Likewise, I've never had cause tyo use it but I'll dig it out this evening...

MikeT · Unread post by **MikeT** » 15 Oct 2009, 12:00

Do you need the system up and running again (obviously with log-in rights) or just access to the files so you can retrieve it and then wipe/reinstall?

If the latter, pull the hard drive and install it on another PC with NTFS. If the former, I've got a bootdisk that allows you to reset the Admin Password.

jgra1 · Unread post by **jgra1** » 15 Oct 2009, 12:05

thanks All

Mike, yep just want to get it back on, as it's my tv and so on..

at some point in the future I will buy a laptop or put XP on etc..

The reason I deleted myself

was because the winmgnt.exe and CSRSS.exe were taking 100% PCU soon after boot up... seems a corruption somewhere...

MikeT · Unread post by **MikeT** » 15 Oct 2009, 13:27

I transposed "former" and "latter", sorry to confuse

corrected now.

Looks like the same Admin Password Reset option is on a boot CD (mine's a floppy disk - old technology) so that should get you in.

Would you believe I was MSCE trained on 2K Advanced Server but without practice, have forgotten most of it? ... otherwise I'd give you recovery steps to take. It's still possible but I don't want to start you on something I can't finish!

A Domain is just a network for clients authorised and run by servers. A workgroup is a network that does not need servers. Perhaps that is the problem when you take it away from the work domain?

ellevie · Unread post by **ellevie** » 15 Oct 2009, 15:37

It might be worth trying an automatic system repair by cold booting from the Windows 2000 Setup / Installation CD as described in the link below,
http://www.windowsreinstall.com/windows ... /index.htm

MikeT · Unread post by **MikeT** » 15 Oct 2009, 16:37

Good point David but the problem I found with such repair consoles etc is there's no reversing them if they don't work and I've seen some really screwed up systems from it so tread with caution if you're going to try it, John.

AFAIK, it repairs/restores the operating system which IMO, is no different to just installing Win2K again - perhaps a few customisations are kept in the repair process?

jgra1 · Unread post by **jgra1** » 15 Oct 2009, 16:54

guys would that wipe the C drive? ..

I am happy to try it if not...