Short answer: yes and Linux is your friend in this circumstance. Linux is
able to mount and modify a number of different file systems making it the
ideal candidate for this job. I have a slick utility that was written a
while back that allows you to reset the password for any account whether or
not it has been syskeyed. Please let me know if you would like a copy.

Andrew David Matuszak Network Security Corp.
Product Manager www.networksecuritycorp.com
Professional Services 716.692.8183
adm4nsec.net

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Martin L. Drury Jr. [mailto:mdruryads-corp.com]
> Sent: Thursday, October 04, 2001 1:05 PM
> To: focus-mssecurityfocus.com
> Subject: Retrieving NT 4 Administrator password
>
>
> Hello all,
> First, if this is not the appropriate place for this,
> my apologies.
>
> I'm in need of a little bit of help. Roughly 4 years
> ago, while working
> for a non-profit community network, I set up an NT 4.0 based LAN (no
> internet access) for a Library. There were two accounts that had
> Administrative access, mine, and the Administrator. Under normal
> operations, no one was ever logged into the server, and the
> accounts used by
> the workstations did not have administrative access.
>
> Now, 4 years later, they needed to update some software
> that is installed
> on the server, and apparently no one remembers the
> Administrator account
> password (they said they had it written down, but apparently
> they didn't,
> all they managed to do was lock themselves out of the
> account). I have long
> since forgotten the password I used (given enough tries, I'm
> sure I could
> remember it, but well, I don't want to lock out my account as
> well). Is
> there an easy way to retrieve/reset the administrator password without
> damaging the data stored on the server?
>
> I believe at most the machine has SP3 installed on it.
> The copy of NT was
> installed off of a Back Office CD, but I don't recall whether
> or not it had
> Service Packs or not. All the information I had concerning
> the machine was
> given to the non-profit when I left there 3 years ago, and
> since then, they
> have conviently lost it. Any pointers anyone could give me
> on what steps I
> need to take would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance,
>
> Martin L. Drury Jr.
> Advance Data Systems, Inc.
> 502-228-3396 x117
> mdruryads-corp.com
>

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