Cannot log on to computer after changing network settings

[Guest]

I cannot logon to a windows XP computer after changing its network settings
and configuring it to be on a different LAN. Actually I did not finish
configuring it. I had only put Ip address, subnet, default gateway and DNSs
and computer name and workgroup and it asked me to restart.
When you restart the logon dialog box is not showing the domain field (even
if you click on options button). It is refusing any username and password.
Even for the owner of the computer. What could be the problem???

 

[Malke]

I cannot logon to a windows XP computer after changing its network
settings and configuring it to be on a different LAN. Actually I did
not finish configuring it. I had only put Ip address, subnet, default
gateway and DNSs and computer name and workgroup and it asked me to
restart. When you restart the logon dialog box is not showing the
domain field (even if you click on options button). It is refusing any
username and password. Even for the owner of the computer. What could
be the problem???

It sounds like you took a computer that was a domain member and
disjoined it from the domain by setting it to Workgroup. If this is
correct, of course you can't log on with the domain user any more. To
get into the computer now, you must log on locally. There may be no
local user set up except for the local built-in Administrator. You need
to take the machine back to the domain and have a domain administrator
rejoin it to the domain. If you did this because you wanted to use the
computer at home, there are ways to use home resources other than
removing the machine from the domain.

Since we don't know any of the details of why you did this, post back
with the missing information if you want further information.

Malke

 

[Guest]

I think it answers my question. What I was trying to do was to add the
computer to another LAN so that it can access resources on that LAN. But
isn't there anyway of recovering or resetting the local administrator pasword?
Thank you .

 

[Malke]

I think it answers my question. What I was trying to do was to add the
computer to another LAN so that it can access resources on that LAN.
But isn't there anyway of recovering or resetting the local
administrator pasword? Thank you .

If you don't know the local administrator password, you can use NTpasswd
to set it to a blank. This will not help you with the domain
membership, however. You still need to be connected to the domain
network to rejoin the machine.

http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/

Here are some links that discuss how to use your work laptop in your
home network. However, your first step should be to talk to your IT
Dept.

From MVP Lanwench - You don't need to change to a workgroup just to
access resources on it. You shouldn't play with your laptop's network
settings at all. Once you've logged in using your domain account (using
cached credentials), and have an IP address on the home network, you
can map drives, use printers, whatnot, very easily - one way, in a
command line:

net use x: \\computername\sharename /user:computername\username <enter>

MS KB article about the Net Use command - http://tinyurl.com/3bpnj

Also see:

Managing One Windows XP-based Laptop for the Office and Home by MVP
Charlie Russel - http://tinyurl.com/cpy9q

http://winhlp.com/wxdomainworkgroup.htm - MVP Hans-Georg Michna

Malke