Resetting Administrator Password in Windows 2008

• Boot from the Micrsoft Windows Server 2008 DVD
• From the Install Windows menu, click “Next”.
• Select “Repair your computer”
• In the System Recovery Options, select the Operating System instance that you wish to repair and click “Next”.
• Select “Command Prompt”. The
• At the command prompt, run the following commands:

  c:
  cd windowssystem32
  ren Utilman.exe Utilman.exe.old
  copy cmd.exe Utilman.exe

• Reboot the server allowing Windows to load as normal
• At the logon screen, press Windows Key + U.
• As the command prompt, enter the following command:

  net user administrator Password12

Cleanup Steps

Once you have verified you can log on to the server you will have repeat the steps above and boot using the Windows Server 2008 DVD/ISO and run the command prompt again.

• Delete the newly created Utilman.exe from C:WindowsSystem32
• Rename Utilman.exe.old back to Utilman.exe