[TriLUG] OT: Linux to fix W2k3

[Paul G. Szabady]

Success!

Thanks to all that responded to my plea for help.  Although it didn't 
quite work as "advertised" (for me anyhow), I found the suggestion below 
was the lead I needed to resolve my problem.

It turns out that a reboot into safe mode (F8), will in fact give you a 
shutdown option, ***BUT ONLY*** if you select safe mode without 
networking.  I tried this on both a 32bit W2k3 SE w/SP2 and the problem 
child which is a 64bit W2k3 R2 EE w/SP2.  Neither would present a 
shutdown button by trying the password multiple (15 ea) times.  However, 
in both cases, safe mode without networking worked.

After I rebooted twice, I was able to use my old tried and true windows 
password tool (http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/) to clear the 
password.  I'm back in business.

Thanks again!

Paul
@ Thy Service

Paul G. Szabady wrote:
> David,
> 
> If safemode/shutdown works as you describe, this is exactly what I need! 
>   I have tried numerous other items as well as most of the other 
> suggestions to this list but I've not been able to crack the password 
> nor get the R/O file system into a R/W state.  I've even tried to use 
> the onlinerecovery.com paid service, but they've not cracked the hashed 
> password yet.  :(
> 
> I'm psyched!  I'll give this a whirl tomorrow and let you know what I 
> find. Thanks!
> 
> Paul
> @ Thy Service
> 
> David Brain wrote:
>> Ok,
>>
>> I've been through this one - restart the system in safe mode
>> (F<somethingorother>) on startup, you'll eventually get to the login
>> screen.  Once you get there there is no sign of a 'shutdown' button,
>> however if you fail to log in at the password prompt (I think only
>> once but it might be a couple of times) the shutdown button will
>> appear.
>>
>> Shut down the system, then (and this is a bit obscure) repeat the
>> process - I think this is due to the fact that windows re-sets the
>> filesystem status on startup, not shutdown so it has to be brought up
>> and down cleanly once before it is happy that the file system is OK.
>> Then you will be able to use the offline password editor to reset the
>> password.
>>
>> Hope that helps.
>>
>> David.
>>
>>
>> On Thu, Apr 3, 2008 at 8:42 PM, Paul G. Szabady <Paul at thyservice.com> wrote:
>>> I have an issue I'm hoping some of you gurus might be able to help with
>>>  and since it uses linux, it's only slightly off topic...I think.  ;)
>>>
>>>  I have friend with a w2k3 server that I need to be able to log into as
>>>  admin, but we don't have the password.  I have tried some of the tools,
>>>  such as "Offline NT Password & Reg Editor"
>>>  (http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/), but they all mount the
>>>  filesystem RO because it wasn't shutdown in a clean manner.
>>>  Unfortunately, the only account on the server is the admin account, so
>>>  the only way I can shut it down is by killing power.
>>>
>>>  Anybody run into this before?  Is there better a linux tool I can use
>>>  that will allow me to force a mount?
>>>
>>>  I've used these tools before with 100% success as long as I was able to
>>>  log in and shutdown clean.
>>>
>>>  Thoughts?
>>>
>>>
>>>  Paul
>>>  @ Thy Service
>>>
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