Change Domain Administrator Password SBS 2K3

I have a SBS 2003 Premium SP1 server that needs to have the administrator
password changed. The server is utilizing Exchange, SQL 2005, SharePoint 2.0
w/SP2, as well as a host of application services that are admin password
dependent ie: Backup Exec, MAS 500 accounting, etc. There is also a 2003
member server acting as a terminal server in the mix.

My question: Is there a document that thoroughly goes over changing the
password? I don't have much leaway timewise in "fixing" things that may get
broken because of the change.

Thanks,

Dan

Dan <Dan@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
> I have a SBS 2003 Premium SP1 server that needs to have the
> administrator password changed. The server is utilizing Exchange,
> SQL 2005, SharePoint 2.0 w/SP2, as well as a host of application
> services that are admin password dependent ie: Backup Exec, MAS 500
> accounting, etc. There is also a 2003 member server acting as a
> terminal server in the mix.
>
> My question: Is there a document that thoroughly goes over changing
> the password? I don't have much leaway timewise in "fixing" things
> that may get broken because of the change.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Dan

It's generally considered a bad idea to use the built-in Administrator
account to run any services or tasks. Set up separate service accounts as
needed. Exchange, SQL and Sharepoint won't care about this, tho.

You can identify which Windows services use which account if you go to
services.msc and look for the obvious column. Check Scheduled Tasks as well.
BackupExec should definitely have its own service account.

Dan wrote:
> I have a SBS 2003 Premium SP1 server that needs to have the
> administrator password changed. The server is utilizing Exchange,
> SQL 2005, SharePoint 2.0 w/SP2, as well as a host of application
> services that are admin password dependent ie: Backup Exec, MAS 500
> accounting, etc. There is also a 2003 member server acting as a
> terminal server in the mix.
>
> My question: Is there a document that thoroughly goes over changing
> the password? I don't have much leaway timewise in "fixing" things
> that may get broken because of the change.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Dan

Check for any Services running that is using the administrator account.
Hopefully none are. If they
are, those will need to be changed as well. It's also a good time to
evaluate if they should be using an appropriate service account instead
(imo, they should). Also a good idea to ensure that an alternate acount
exists with domain admin membership and you can log in using that account.

Record the old admin password. Change the admin password. Modify services
using the admin account to use the new password and restart.

Your backout is to revert every thing back to useing the old password and
find out what has hard coded the password and fix it first.


--
/kj

Definitely need to record the old (built-in) Administrator password.
Pre-Windows 2003 SP1, the (built-in) Administrator and DSRM passwords were
sync'd. I don't believe this was ever fixed post-Windows 2003 SP1. It can
be done manually:

How To Reset the Directory Services Restore Mode Administrator Account
Password in Windows Server 2003
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;322672

--
Merv Porter [SBS-MVP]
============================


"kj [SBS MVP]" <KevinJ.SBS@SPAMFREE.gmail.com> wrote in message
news:OhQdbfv2JHA.1416@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> Dan wrote:
>> I have a SBS 2003 Premium SP1 server that needs to have the
>> administrator password changed. The server is utilizing Exchange,
>> SQL 2005, SharePoint 2.0 w/SP2, as well as a host of application
>> services that are admin password dependent ie: Backup Exec, MAS 500
>> accounting, etc. There is also a 2003 member server acting as a
>> terminal server in the mix.
>>
>> My question: Is there a document that thoroughly goes over changing
>> the password? I don't have much leaway timewise in "fixing" things
>> that may get broken because of the change.
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Dan
>
> Check for any Services running that is using the administrator account.
> Hopefully none are. If they
> are, those will need to be changed as well. It's also a good time to
> evaluate if they should be using an appropriate service account instead
> (imo, they should). Also a good idea to ensure that an alternate acount
> exists with domain admin membership and you can log in using that account.
>
> Record the old admin password. Change the admin password. Modify services
> using the admin account to use the new password and restart.
>
> Your backout is to revert every thing back to useing the old password and
> find out what has hard coded the password and fix it first.
>
>
> --
> /kj
>

I think that might have been a "closed by design". ;-)

Agreed, it's necessary to know them both, and convenient for SBS if they are
kept the same.

Merv Porter [SBS-MVP] wrote:
> Definitely need to record the old (built-in) Administrator password.
> Pre-Windows 2003 SP1, the (built-in) Administrator and DSRM passwords
> were sync'd. I don't believe this was ever fixed post-Windows 2003
> SP1. It can be done manually:
>
> How To Reset the Directory Services Restore Mode Administrator Account
> Password in Windows Server 2003
> http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;322672
>
>
> "kj [SBS MVP]" <KevinJ.SBS@SPAMFREE.gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:OhQdbfv2JHA.1416@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>> Dan wrote:
>>> I have a SBS 2003 Premium SP1 server that needs to have the
>>> administrator password changed. The server is utilizing Exchange,
>>> SQL 2005, SharePoint 2.0 w/SP2, as well as a host of application
>>> services that are admin password dependent ie: Backup Exec, MAS 500
>>> accounting, etc. There is also a 2003 member server acting as a
>>> terminal server in the mix.
>>>
>>> My question: Is there a document that thoroughly goes over changing
>>> the password? I don't have much leaway timewise in "fixing" things
>>> that may get broken because of the change.
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>>
>>> Dan
>>
>> Check for any Services running that is using the administrator
>> account. Hopefully none are. If they
>> are, those will need to be changed as well. It's also a good time to
>> evaluate if they should be using an appropriate service account
>> instead (imo, they should). Also a good idea to ensure that an
>> alternate acount exists with domain admin membership and you can log
>> in using that account. Record the old admin password. Change the admin
>> password. Modify
>> services using the admin account to use the new password and restart.
>>
>> Your backout is to revert every thing back to useing the old
>> password and find out what has hard coded the password and fix it
>> first. --
>> /kj

--
/kj