change local admin password

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin (More info?)

Tiffany wrote:

> I want to change the local admin password on all the computers
> in our company. I remember there is a tool to do it in Windows
> 2000 (Resource Kit?). Can someone tell me how I can do it?
Hi,

If the computers are in an Active Directory domain:

You could do it in a computer startup script (with a GPO) that runs
as part of the boot up process (before the user logs in). It runs
under the system context and has admin rights.

To avoid users being able to read the script where the password is
stored, grant read access only for the AD group "Domain Computers"
to the script file.

Here is a VBScript that does the job (it will find the builtin
administrator account regardless of it's name):

'--------------------8<----------------------

sNewPassword = "testpassword"

Set oWshNet = CreateObject("WScript.Network" )
sComputer = oWshNet.ComputerName
sAdminName = GetAdministratorName

On Error Resume Next
Set oUser = GetObject("WinNT://" & sComputer & "/" & sAdminName & ",user" )
oUser.SetPassword sNewPassword
oUser.SetInfo
On Error Goto 0


Function GetAdministratorName()

Dim sUserSID, oWshNetwork, oUserAccount

Set oWshNetwork = CreateObject("WScript.Network" )
Set oUserAccounts = GetObject( _
"winmgmts://" & oWshNetwork.ComputerName & "/root/cimv2" ) _
.ExecQuery("Select Name, SID from Win32_UserAccount" _
& " WHERE Domain = '" & oWshNetwork.ComputerName & "'" )

On Error Resume Next
For Each oUserAccount In oUserAccounts
If Left(oUserAccount.SID, 9) = "S-1-5-21-" And _
Right(oUserAccount.SID, 4) = "-500" Then
GetAdministratorName = oUserAccount.Name
Exit For
End if
Next
End Function
'--------------------8<----------------------


--
torgeir, Microsoft MVP Scripting and WMI, Porsgrunn Norway
Administration scripting examples and an ONLINE version of
the 1328 page Scripting Guide:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/s [...] fault.mspx