HELP! WinXP logon problem

[Vae]

Not sure if anyone can help but this is the problem:

Theres a WinXP laptop which was configured to connect to an existing domain using the WinXp secure logon (Ctrl-alt-delete then enter username and password). I tried to add it to our local network and added an additional IP address and switched it from looking to logon to the previous domain to trying to logon to our workgroup (so that it could easily be connected back to the previous domain network).

When it rebooted I tried logging it on using a username and password for our NT4 server but it wouldn't accept it. It also now won't accept the previous username and password which worked for the previous domain (whether connected to the network or not) and won't accept the Administrator username (password is blank) either. I've tried safe mode, last known good etc but nothing enables me to get into the machine at all. Any suggestions?

 

[Vae]

Hmmm following a lot of research it appears that the machine might have become locked up because of this (it might be confused trying to log into the wrong network or something) and plugging in back into the original Domain *might* enable it to logon again. Well I can hope <crosses fingers>. Anyway any other ideas?

 

[Insane]

i hope you removed the laptop from the existing domain through the "network identification" tab in system properties (windows key + pause)

then joined it to your domain, otherwise it still believes it is logging onto domain1 instead of your NT box.

oh and your NT box better be running as a PDC, or you can scrap that idea entirely... you would need to setup local user on the laptop so it logs onto (this computer) instead of domain1

 

[Vae]

i hope you removed the laptop from the existing domain through the "network identification" tab in system properties (windows key + pause) then joined it to your domain, otherwise it still believes it is logging onto domain1 instead of your NT box.

I think that is exactly the problem as I simply changed (in the network identification tab) from having it flagged as logging onto a domain to having it logging into a workgroup.

oh and your NT box better be running as a PDC, or you can scrap that idea entirely... you would need to setup local user on the laptop so it logs onto (this computer) instead of domain1

PDC = Primary Domain Controller I guess. I think the NT box is setup as a PDC but only the win98 computers log into it. The other WinXP laptops don't log onto it direct rather they log into themselves locally and just have mapped network drives to the NT box (this is probably the wrong way to set things up but it worked ). The laptop in question can't log on as a local user (I tried Guest) and I presume trying to log on as Administrator is still trying to log on as Administrator to the previous domain. The odd thing is that before changing the setting it could login to itself (well kind of) even though the domain wasn't there by using the usual login and password or Administrator.

 

[Insane]

Windows XP (and 2000) has what is referred to as a "cached login" setting, if the machine cannot find a network connection it will log you on with the previous session information.

if your using standard login screen for Windows XP you should have an "advanced" button there to press when your about to logon, it'll expand the menu to include a "log on:" function which will list the domain (plus any trusted domains within its scope) and the local machine.

just change the drop-down box until it reads the machine name (its easy to spot, it normally says this computer beside it) and try to login as the local administrator account.

the thing to check with the Win98 boxes is are they really logging onto the domain or are they just locally logged on and mapping drives to the server? an easy way to check is the login box has three fields instead of two..

 

[TdC]

wasn't there something about clear text passwords and that a domain had to be configured for that? it could be your XP box is sending encrypteds to a pdc that isn't set up to take it.

what do I know? my mcse expired years ago

 

[Vae]

Windows XP (and 2000) has what is referred to as a "cached login" setting, if the machine cannot find a network connection it will log you on with the previous session information.

if your using standard login screen for Windows XP you should have an "advanced" button there to press when your about to logon, it'll expand the menu to include a "log on:" function which will list the domain (plus any trusted domains within its scope) and the local machine.

just change the drop-down box until it reads the machine name (its easy to spot, it normally says this computer beside it) and try to login as the local administrator account.

the thing to check with the Win98 boxes is are they really logging onto the domain or are they just locally logged on and mapping drives to the server? an easy way to check is the login box has three fields instead of two..

Unfortunately there was no advanced button or drop down box to change what you were logging into on the XP machine The only option you had was to try different usernames and passwords or restart/shutdown. I've dispatched the person who's laptop it is to try and plug it back into the original domain and hope that it works otherwise I don't have a clue

I don't think it matters whether the win98 machines are logging into the NT box or not. As long as they can use the printers, access the mapped network drives, receive mail from the mailserver and access the internet it's fine.

 

[Mellow]

All you need to do is log onto the laptop with the administrator name and password, then right click my computer > properties > computer name tab > change. Then fill out the new domain name in there. And providing you have set up a user account on the server then it will be able to log on ok. But with NT there's no difference to logging on a server and logging on locally but with mapped drives.

It might also help to know if you have DHCP or static IP numbers on your network.