Cannot log on to Laptop

[agentq232]

I am dumb.

I was messing with my laptop and decided that, while I was home, it would be fun to leave my school's domain and join my home network's workgroup. Great idea right?

So I clicked on my computer, changed the settings to join my workgroup and leave the school's domain, then restarted as it prompted.

Big Mistake

I can no longer log on with my usual name and password. I can't log in with the user and no pass, can't log in with anything I've tried.

I can hook the hdd up to my usb enclosure (I've got the right adaptor) and modify files that way if needed.

What should I do? Is there a file on the hdd I can modify to rejoin the domain so it works again??

Thanks for any input...



***So I switched my computer from domain to workgroup and I can no longer log onto it using my normal user/pass.

Is there any file I can modify to switch it back to domain? The registry perhaps?

 

[nessus]

Unless you know the local administrator account password, or have access ot a utility for resetting the local admin password, you are out of luck.

Adding a machine to a domain requires more than a registry change. A password for your computers account on the domain is stored on your machine and the domain, and a glovally unique identifier is set for your machine. For the domain to recognize you, the password stored on the local machine must be correct and the GUID must be correct.

You GUID changed when you removed it from the domain, and the cached password was cleared.

 

[agentq232]

Unless you know the local administrator account password, or have access ot a utility for resetting the local admin password, you are out of luck.

Adding a machine to a domain requires more than a registry change. A password for your computers account on the domain is stored on your machine and the domain, and a glovally unique identifier is set for your machine. For the domain to recognize you, the password stored on the local machine must be correct and the GUID must be correct.

You GUID changed when you removed it from the domain, and the cached password was cleared.

.... shit

Would this be a utility found online or a proprietary one... I thought I was the local admin...

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

.... shit

Would this be a utility found online or a proprietary one... I thought I was the local admin...

Local admin is as useless as tits on a nun for credentials to join a domain. Need to go through whatever steps were done when the laptop originally joined the domain.

BTW...there's no need whatsoever to remove a computer from a domain unless that computer will never be a part of that network again. 1) You can always log onto the domain with "cached" credentials, and 2) You can always flip to a local login at the ctrl+alt+del login..that 3rd line.

 

[ktwebb]

This is your laptop? If it is there are hacks to reset the admin password on pretty much any NT based OS from Microsoft. XP being in that group.

 

[agentq232]

Local admin is as useless as tits on a nun for credentials to join a domain. Need to go through whatever steps were done when the laptop originally joined the domain.

BTW...there's no need whatsoever to remove a computer from a domain unless that computer will never be a part of that network again. 1) You can always log onto the domain with "cached" credentials, and 2) You can always flip to a local login at the ctrl+alt+del login..that 3rd line.

yea I was messing around like the dummy I am...

Oh well, guess it will be offline until I head back in a week. I was gonna get it reformatted anyways


**Can I use system restore to go back somehow?

 

[Uraki]

Try http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/bootdisk.html

No guarantees, but it's always worked for me. Just take all the defaults and it will blank the admin password and then you can get back into the machine and do the rest from Windows proper.

While you are in the utility, pay attention to the usernames...they may have made some other user "administrator" and you will have to log in with that.

 

[0ldman]

If its Windows XP, download and setup a Bart PE boot disc.

start up the system, go to file manager, go to C:\windows\system32\config, cut and paste the registry into a new folder. Go to system volume information, find the correct date for the restore before you made changes, go into the snapshot folder, find the system, machine, user, etc, parts of the registry, usually named something like "_registry_system". Copy these to c:\windows\system32\config, rename to system, user, machine, etc.

This is a manual restore of the registry.

 

[agentq232]

If its Windows XP, download and setup a Bart PE boot disc.

start up the system, go to file manager, go to C:\windows\system32\config, cut and paste the registry into a new folder. Go to system volume information, find the correct date for the restore before you made changes, go into the snapshot folder, find the system, machine, user, etc, parts of the registry, usually named something like "_registry_system". Copy these to c:\windows\system32\config, rename to system, user, machine, etc.

This is a manual restore of the registry.

I'm trying this now but I cannot find the restore (the system restore files, ie system volume information) files! I cannot find where they are stored, can anyone point me in the right direction??

 

[0ldman]

typically, c:\system volume information

If you don't see it, make sure it is set to show hidden files and folders. If it isn't there, I don't know what to tell you.

 

[Scotty_SFF]

throw it out the window run it over a few times and then buy a new one will be much easier