Case Study: Reset Domain Administrator Password

http://www.petri.co.il/reset_domain_admin_password_in_windows_server_2003_ad.htm

In this Tutorial, we will go through hack to reset the Directory service restore mode Administrator Password, and the Domain Administrator password in less than 10 Min. ISA :)

thumb|300px|right|Reset Domain Administrator Password

Tools Used

 * 1) Hiren's.BootCD.9.9
 * 2) Windows Server 2003 Resource Kit

Preparation

 * 1) You will need  local access to the Domain Controller.
 * 2) Burn Hiren's.BootCD.9.9 on a CD
 * 3) If Windows Server 2003 Resource Kit is not installed on the Domain Controller, Install it on any machine, and get those to files 'instsrv.exe', and 'srvany.exe'

Reset the Directory service restore mode Administrator Password -if Needed-

 * 1) Restart the DC
 * 2) From boot setup, Ensure that CD have highr boot priority
 * 3) Boot from Hiren's.BootCD

Reset The Domain Administrator Password

 * 1) copy 'instsrv.exe', and 'srvany.exe' to the DC.
 * 2) create a folder "AdminPassword", and place 'instsrv.exe', and 'srvany.exe', and 'cmd.exe' -From the C:\Windows\System32\-
 * 3) Install srvany.exe as a service

instsrv AdminPass "D:\AdminPassword\srvany.exe"


 * 1) Run regedit, and go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\PassRecovery
 * 2) Create Subkey named as "Parameters"
 * 3) inside "Parameters subkey, create 2 string values as below:

Application --> with value ""

AppParameters --> with value ""