Ok guys!! This will be long... and please bear with me ok.. Im repairing a laptop. Windows XP was installed on this laptop. It was setup to connect to a domain. Now since Im fixing it in our office, I feel the need to connect to the internet. So I change the IP settings to "Obtain blah blah" bec. we are using our router as our DHCP server. I restarted the pc then tried to browse but it didnt open any site. I was puzzled so change the Domian name (their domain name) to Workgroup since we are just using Peer-to-peer connection. It then asked me a username and password. I (well I believe) type it correctly both username and password. After the boot up, when I tried to enter the username and password I just used earlier.. It wont let me in. I tried every possible (I guess) but still it wont allow me to get through the log in process. 1.What could possibly caused this? I know I typed it correctly and no typo error or anything. I then went into the advance boot options by pressing F8, now I saw an option saying "directory services restore mode." 2. Could this directory services restore mode help me with my problems? I didnt tried it anyway fearing I might lost some of the important files in the HDD. I just took out the HDD then connect it to my PC. Now Im just wondering.. 3. Does anyone here knows where (if any) could possibly the password file be saved? Can it be deleted or rename? since all the files are intact, im thinking I could just rename a file to reset the password thanks everyone for your help good bless

"I was puzzled so change the Domian name (their domain name) to Workgroup" Did you change only the domain name or did you change "Member Of" from domain to workgroup? Can you get a response when you ping your router from the laptop? If you can't get a ping response from the router, try pinging any address in your networks IP range. If you get no response, the laptop isn't actually joining your network. Does this laptop use the usual XP logon screen, or a Windows 2000 style logon screen? If it's the Windows 2000 style, you should have an option to logon locally or to the domain. If it's usually part of a domain, the default will likely be to logon to the domain. As the usernames and passwords for a domain logon are stored on the domain server, you'll never get the password verified. If you can switch it to logon to the local machine, you can use whatever usernames/passwords that are stored locally (often an admin account only). To find all locally stored usernames/passwords, boot the machine from an Optcrack CD. Optcrack can take a little while to do it's thing, but you'll be shown a list of usernames and passwords. If it uses the XP style logon screen, you'll need to reseach any possible ways to switch to the "classic" logon, without being logged on. I've never had this situation arise, so I'm afraid I can't help with that. Please let us know if you found someone's advice to be helpful.

1.What could possibly caused this? I know I typed it correctly and no typo error or anything. My guess? You're trying to use an Administrator account from the domain you just disjoined. 2. Could this directory services restore mode help me with my problems? Is the laptop a Primary Domain Controller? No? Then don't use it. 3. Does anyone here knows where (if any) could possibly the password file be saved? Can it be deleted or rename? since all the files are intact, im thinking I could just rename a file to reset the password %SystemRoot%\system32\config\SAM, but touching that will kill the system. I doubt you want to hand the guy a deceased laptop, but I could be wrong; he could be a real jerk.

"It then asked me a username and password. I (well I believe) type it correctly both username and password. After the boot up, when I tried to enter the username and password I just used earlier.. It wont let me in. I tried every possible (I guess) but still it wont allow me to get through the log in process. 1.What could possibly caused this? I know I typed it correctly and no typo error or anything." This question has been asked and answered many times before. Simple answer: you remove the authentication to the Domain. So, unless you have the LOCAL Admin userid and password, you won't be able to login. If you have any experience with NT/2K/XP at all, you should have already known this. Why would you remove the machine from the Domain in the first place? And, if it's a "work" laptop (assuming that because it was authenticating to a Domain), why would the laptop have been brought to you and not the Company's IT Department? Life's more painless for the brainless.

I change from "Member of" to "Workgroup" the reason I did that was because our network just use "Workgroup" and not "Member of a Domain" I tried to ping after changing the IP settings to "Obatin IP address manually" but the respose was "Destination Unreachable". I also ping any workstation but the response was the same. It uses a Windows 2000 style log on where you need to press CTRL-ALT-DEL first before you proceed with the log in name and password. After changing from "member of" to "workgroup" there was no drop-down options anymore where you can select the log-in place or domain (whatever you call it) The laptop is not connected to the Domain anymore since we pulled it out of their (client) office and fixing it in our place.

At a random guess I'd say maybe the TCP/IP stack is stuffed up or there is a problem with Windows Sockets. As you are a technician I'll leave you to do the rest. I POAST THRAD!!!!!!!!111!1!1!!

It sounds like you are now able to logon using a local username. Have you tried using the network setup wizard? Please let us know if you found someone's advice to be helpful.