I have an SBS server. We have lost the Admin password and have no other users with Admin rights. I believe there is a utility for cracking the password and resetting it. Could someone point me to where this is, or email it to me? many thanks, Paul.

Check www.lostpassword.com, I have there complete package and have used it many times with success. Joel

Or try L0pht brutal crack software and meanwhile crack everybodies password :-)

Presumably it's all ntfs. So another way - and it doesn't need utils... Install (CD boot or 3 floppies route) a second bare-bones version (apply SP4 or later as well if drive over 7.8/8Gig); install it as: c:\temp\winnt-1 (or whatever SBS goes in as, and with the -1 added, but in the temp folder). Using the -1 ending allows you to easily indentify it later. It will be the deault OS to boot; it will give you a fresh admin log-in box; pick your own password - even leave it blank (this temp version will not be around very long...). Locate SAM file in original install and delete it (or perhaps, even better, just rename it...?); reset default OS to be original version; reboot; again you get a 'fresh' Admin log-in for this (original) version; pick your own password and keep a note somewhere safe/secure? (You will now be starting a fresh SAM?) Verify you can log-in OK; also can reboot and log-in via new Admin password. Once satisifed all is OK access wise; delete temp folder version. You may (probably will...) have to re-establish accounts for Users/passwords etc. as you will have now removed original SAM data-base in the above sequence??? With this in mind this approach may not be the best to use across a client/server system? This approach was posted on another site a while back; can't recall just where so can't give true credit to the guy who posted it... If you check post: 20704 on the W2K forum there is a brief discussion, with info, there too. Other possible resources (that may invlove $$$'s/£££'s...: http://home.eunet.no/~pdnordahl/ntpasswd The Eunet.no util (link just above) is a freebie if I read the web-site correctly; it may be worth checking out first? http://www.cgsecurity.org/menu.php3 - (This one probably costs a few $$$'s/£££'s?) Also I understand there is Linux utility that will allow Admin password changes? It may be worth tracking down and trying it out; probably cheapest/free option? If it doesn't work out then try one of the assorted other options suggested? Another option: Use ntfsdos from sysinternals.com to access ntfs drive; locate and delete the SAM; reboot system without ntfsdos disk and set new password? Again this approach deletes the SAM (and all user info if it's on that server?). The brutal crack referred to in post-2 is also at sysinternals.

The Site of Petter Nordahl is down though. But his Tool is a Linux Disk (4free), that boots, tracks down the SAM file, and lets you set everyones password in it to your liking... Does not work on special encrypted passwords, but I have not encountered these yet. All you need is the ability to boot from disk. Have fun tracking it down on the web ;-.)