Changed computer from WORKGROUP to MSHOME and now unable to log on...Help please.

  • Thread starter Thread starter Tim Z
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T

Tim Z

Hello. As the title says. I have been given a new laptop from work
and am allowed to take home and to save from physically moving data
between computers, I tried to "temporarily" change the new computer's
domain from WORKGROUP to MSHOME so I could network the HDD. Computer
told me to reboot and now my password in unable to log me in. I am
assuming I have administrator rights as I am able to do anything I
have tried, including change domain names. I don't remember what
exactly the users screen said but am unable to view it at the present.

My question is: Is there a way to return my laptop's domain back to
WORKGROUP so that I can just return it to the way it was before I made
it inop?

Win XP Pro SP2

Thanks to any who reply.

Tim
Tim
magna03@swbell_REMOVETOREPLY_.net
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The United States Constitution © 1791. All Rights Reserved.
 
Tim said:
Hello. As the title says. I have been given a new laptop from work
and am allowed to take home and to save from physically moving data
between computers, I tried to "temporarily" change the new computer's
domain from WORKGROUP to MSHOME so I could network the HDD. Computer
told me to reboot and now my password in unable to log me in. I am
assuming I have administrator rights as I am able to do anything I
have tried, including change domain names. I don't remember what
exactly the users screen said but am unable to view it at the present.

My question is: Is there a way to return my laptop's domain back to
WORKGROUP so that I can just return it to the way it was before I made
it inop?

Win XP Pro SP2.
Click to expand...

If your laptop was a member of a domain (and not a member of a
workgroup), then you disjoined it from the domain and you will need to
take the laptop to your IT Dept. and have them rejoin the laptop to the
domain. There is nothing else you can do about this. Then for the
future, here is how to use your domain-member laptop at home in order
to access workgroup resources:

From MVP Lanwench: Note - you don't need to change to a workgroup just
to access resources on it. You shouldn't play with your laptop's
network settings at all. Once you've logged in using your domain
account (using cached credentials), and have an IP address on the home
network, you can map drives, use printers, whatnot, very easily - one
way, in a command line:

net use x: \\computername\sharename /user:computername\username <enter>

MS KB article about the Net Use command - http://tinyurl.com/3bpnj

Malke
 
If your laptop was a member of a domain (and not a member of a
workgroup), then you disjoined it from the domain and you will need to
take the laptop to your IT Dept. and have them rejoin the laptop to the
domain. There is nothing else you can do about this. Then for the
future, here is how to use your domain-member laptop at home in order
to access workgroup resources:

From MVP Lanwench: Note - you don't need to change to a workgroup just
to access resources on it. You shouldn't play with your laptop's
network settings at all. Once you've logged in using your domain
account (using cached credentials), and have an IP address on the home
network, you can map drives, use printers, whatnot, very easily - one
way, in a command line:

net use x: \\computername\sharename /user:computername\username <enter>

MS KB article about the Net Use command - http://tinyurl.com/3bpnj

Malke
Click to expand...

I changes the workgroup name to MSHOME from WORKGROUP under rename
computer. I don't exactly know if I disjoined it from he domain. I
suspect my problem is somehow a password changed when the computer
name was changes. Is there not any way for me to put my password
back in with the current logon screen in xp?

What does a password usually change to if it is not changed by the
operator?

Thanks again.
Tim
Tim
magna03@swbell_REMOVETOREPLY_.net
(remove "_REMOVETOREPLY_" to reply)

The United States Constitution © 1791. All Rights Reserved.
 
Tim,

The situation you're describing is typical if a computer is joined to a domain, and then removed, without creating a Local user account that can access the computer without validating against the domain. This can also apply if your IT department did not allow caching of logon credentials.

Changing the machine name of the computer, or the workgroup name will not cause any password changes.

Alternatively, you may not have been in a domain and inadvertently told it to join a domain. The same thing would apply. There is no domain to validate your logon, so you can't log in.
 
Tim,

The situation you're describing is typical if a computer is joined to a domain, and then removed, without creating a Local user account that can access the computer without validating against the domain. This can also apply if your IT department did not allow caching of logon credentials.

Changing the machine name of the computer, or the workgroup name will not cause any password changes.

Alternatively, you may not have been in a domain and inadvertently told it to join a domain. The same thing would apply. There is no domain to validate your logon, so you can't log in.
Click to expand...

Ok, now that I understand. Thanks for the explanation sir.

Now, wouldn't that also hamper the administrator logon? What I mean
is, is the fix as simple as logging on as administrator and resetting
the computer name or is the process more involved than that?

Thank you.

Tim
Tim
magna03@swbell_REMOVETOREPLY_.net
(remove "_REMOVETOREPLY_" to reply)

The United States Constitution © 1791. All Rights Reserved.
 
Hi Tim,

Yes, it could well hamper the Adminstrator logon. Any account that is linked to the domain would/could require domain validation before logon is allowed. In this situation, you should take the laptop back to your IT department and inform them that you need a local user account, not a domain, so you can use the PC. They'll have to join it to the domain and/or reinstall the OS, without a domain membership.
 
Tim Z said:
Ok, now that I understand. Thanks for the explanation sir.

Now, wouldn't that also hamper the administrator logon? What I mean
is, is the fix as simple as logging on as administrator and resetting
the computer name or is the process more involved than that?

Thank you.

Tim
Tim
magna03@swbell_REMOVETOREPLY_.net
(remove "_REMOVETOREPLY_" to reply)

The United States Constitution © 1791. All Rights Reserved.
Click to expand...

You have to logon to the local machine instead of the domain. It sounds like
you were previously logging on to a domain. At the logon screen is there an
options button? If so click on it. You should now have a third text entry
field with a drop down list. Use Administrator as the user name. Try leaving
password blank or if you know the administrator account password type it in.
In the drop down list pick the name of your computer. If the administrator
password is not blank and you don't know it then you are out of luck until
you are connected to the domain again. You'll have to get your IT department
to do it. If you are using the Welcome Screen to log on then you weren't
connected to a domain and something else is happening. You can to the
administrator account by booting into safe mode and see what has happened.
If you can log on in safe mode try to change things back to what they were
before.

Kerry
 
You have to logon to the local machine instead of the domain. It sounds like
you were previously logging on to a domain. At the logon screen is there an
options button? If so click on it. You should now have a third text entry
field with a drop down list. Use Administrator as the user name. Try leaving
password blank or if you know the administrator account password type it in.
In the drop down list pick the name of your computer. If the administrator
password is not blank and you don't know it then you are out of luck until
you are connected to the domain again. You'll have to get your IT department
to do it. If you are using the Welcome Screen to log on then you weren't
connected to a domain and something else is happening. You can to the
administrator account by booting into safe mode and see what has happened.
If you can log on in safe mode try to change things back to what they were
before.

Kerry
Click to expand...

Yes I was (and now am again) in a domain. I want to thank all who
tried to enlighten me.

From a link I found, I made a boot cd and changed the admin's
password and then logged on under admin. then I fooled around with it
trying to get the workgroup name changed to workgroup (which I wasn't
even supposed to do). After all was said and done at 300am this
morning I got the bright idea to go to system restore and restore to a
previous time. Now I can logon like I used to and all is well in my
world at the moment.

I really didn't want to tell my IT people (who are in another state)
that I am an idiot. I'll just let them think I am competent and only
myself and you folks will know the truth.

Well, again, thanks all.

Tim

Tim
magna03@swbell_REMOVETOREPLY_.net
(remove "_REMOVETOREPLY_" to reply)

The United States Constitution © 1791. All Rights Reserved.
 
You're welcome, Tim. Somehow I suspect we should have all thought of System Restore a bit earlier :-(
 
You're welcome, Tim. Somehow I suspect we should have all thought of System Restore a bit earlier :-(
Click to expand...

Well, it isn't your job to make sure I tie my shoes in the morning
either. Some things we take for granted like ME trying it which I did
AFTER I was able to login and access the computer.

Have a good day and thanks for your time

Tim
Tim
magna03@swbell_REMOVETOREPLY_.net
(remove "_REMOVETOREPLY_" to reply)

The United States Constitution © 1791. All Rights Reserved.
 
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