Unable to Change Administrator Password

[James]

I am running Windows Server 2003 R2 Standard Edition and I am unable to
change the password on the administrator account. Actually, I am unable to
reset any users' password in AD. I right click on the user account, select
reset password, type in the new password, hit enter, and I get the following
AD error message:

"Windows cannot complete the password change for Administrator because:
Windows cannot find the network path. Verify that the network path is
correct and the destination computer is not busy or turned off. If Windows
still cannot find the network path, contact your network administrator."

Note. I am at the local machine trying to do this, if it makes any difference.

Thanks in advance,
James

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

"James" <James@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:259ED086-631E-4A54-9863-8D8DF73BF185@microsoft.com...
>I am running Windows Server 2003 R2 Standard Edition and I am unable to
> change the password on the administrator account. Actually, I am unable
> to
> reset any users' password in AD. I right click on the user account,
> select
> reset password, type in the new password, hit enter, and I get the
> following
> AD error message:
>
> "Windows cannot complete the password change for Administrator because:
> Windows cannot find the network path. Verify that the network path is
> correct and the destination computer is not busy or turned off. If
> Windows
> still cannot find the network path, contact your network administrator."
>
> Note. I am at the local machine trying to do this, if it makes any
> difference.
>
> Thanks in advance,
> James
>

You wouldn't have a %temp% variable that points at a mapped
folder, would you?

[James]

I am sorry you'll have to excuse my lack of technical knowledge, but I am not
sure
that means. Where would I look to find this?


"Pegasus (MVP)" wrote:

>
> "James" <James@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:259ED086-631E-4A54-9863-8D8DF73BF185@microsoft.com...
> >I am running Windows Server 2003 R2 Standard Edition and I am unable to
> > change the password on the administrator account. Actually, I am unable
> > to
> > reset any users' password in AD. I right click on the user account,
> > select
> > reset password, type in the new password, hit enter, and I get the
> > following
> > AD error message:
> >
> > "Windows cannot complete the password change for Administrator because:
> > Windows cannot find the network path. Verify that the network path is
> > correct and the destination computer is not busy or turned off. If
> > Windows
> > still cannot find the network path, contact your network administrator."
> >
> > Note. I am at the local machine trying to do this, if it makes any
> > difference.
> >
> > Thanks in advance,
> > James
> >
>
> You wouldn't have a %temp% variable that points at a mapped
> folder, would you?
>
>
>

[Ace Fekay [MVP]]

In news:259ED086-631E-4A54-9863-8D8DF73BF185@microsoft.com,
James <James@discussions.microsoft.com> typed:
> I am running Windows Server 2003 R2 Standard Edition and I am unable
> to
> change the password on the administrator account. Actually, I am
> unable to reset any users' password in AD. I right click on the user
> account, select reset password, type in the new password, hit enter,
> and I get the following AD error message:
>
> "Windows cannot complete the password change for Administrator
> because: Windows cannot find the network path. Verify that the
> network path is correct and the destination computer is not busy or
> turned off. If Windows still cannot find the network path, contact
> your network administrator."
>
> Note. I am at the local machine trying to do this, if it makes any
> difference.
>
> Thanks in advance,
> James

Sounds like the DC is trying to find the DC that holds the PDC Emulator FSMO
role. Even if it is the DC itself you are attempting this on, it still needs
to find it. How does it find it? It queries DNS, specifically the DNS
address in IP properties. Now if you have an ISP or some other external DNS
address listed, then I would expect things like this to occur as well as
numerous other problems.

What can also cause it if the domain controller is multihomed, meaning it
has multiple NICs installed. This is a real big problem with DCs.

Another cause is if the AD DNS domain name is a single lable name, such as
the domain (zone) name in DNS is "DOMAIN" rather than the required minimum
format of "domain.com,", "domain.local," "domain.james," etc.

To better assist, please post an UNEDITED ipconfig /all. This will allow us
to view your AD infrastructure basic configuration to help towards coming up
with a solution.


--
Regards,
Ace

This posting is provided "AS-IS" with no warranties or guarantees and
confers no rights.

Ace Fekay, MCSE 2003 & 2000, MCSA 2003 & 2000, MCSE+I, MCT,
MVP Microsoft MVP - Directory Services
Microsoft Certified Trainer

Infinite Diversities in Infinite Combinations

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Mhm. You open the Control Panel / System / Advanced /
Environmental Variables and examine the various "temp"
variables.


"James" <James@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:6628E5E2-0182-458F-8A96-82F38E7146FE@microsoft.com...
>I am sorry you'll have to excuse my lack of technical knowledge, but I am
>not
> sure
> that means. Where would I look to find this?
>
>
> "Pegasus (MVP)" wrote:
>
>>
>> "James" <James@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:259ED086-631E-4A54-9863-8D8DF73BF185@microsoft.com...
>> >I am running Windows Server 2003 R2 Standard Edition and I am unable to
>> > change the password on the administrator account. Actually, I am
>> > unable
>> > to
>> > reset any users' password in AD. I right click on the user account,
>> > select
>> > reset password, type in the new password, hit enter, and I get the
>> > following
>> > AD error message:
>> >
>> > "Windows cannot complete the password change for Administrator because:
>> > Windows cannot find the network path. Verify that the network path is
>> > correct and the destination computer is not busy or turned off. If
>> > Windows
>> > still cannot find the network path, contact your network
>> > administrator."
>> >
>> > Note. I am at the local machine trying to do this, if it makes any
>> > difference.
>> >
>> > Thanks in advance,
>> > James
>> >
>>
>> You wouldn't have a %temp% variable that points at a mapped
>> folder, would you?
>>
>>
>>