No Old Password Is Visible in the Old Password Box When You Try to Change Your Domain Password (245111)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition
  • Microsoft Windows 98
  • Microsoft Windows 95
This article was previously published under Q245111
IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SYMPTOMS

When you try to change your domain password, you may experience the following symptoms:
  • The Old password box in the Change Password dialog box may appear to be empty instead of containing asterisks.
  • When you click OK after typing in the Old password box, the New password box, and the Confirm new password box, you may receive one or more error messages. The error message you receive depends on what Windows password you currently use, and may occur with one of the following scenarios:

    • Scenario 1: There is no Windows password file (.pwl).
    • Scenario 2: The Windows password is a null password or is different than the domain password.
    • Scenario 3: The Windows password is the same as the domain password.
This behavior can produce domain user account lockouts in the domain, because the user may enter several times the old password after each error received.

For more information:

189541 Using the Checked Netlogon.dll to Track Account Lockouts

NOTE: In Windows 98 and Windows Millennium Edition (Me), only scenario 2 and scenario 3 generate error messages.

CAUSE

This problem can occur if your computer is configured to keep the Windows password and the domain password synchronized, and you only have the Client for Microsoft Networks installed.

RESOLUTION

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.


To work around this problem:
  1. If you are using Windows 98 or Windows Me, skip to step 2. If you are using Windows 95, apply the Password.cpl update. For additional information about applying the Password.cpl update, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

    172351 Option to Change Windows Password Without Password Caching



    NOTE: The problem described in this article is resolved in Windows 98.
  2. Use Registry Editor to view the following registry key:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\PwdProvider\MSNP32

    Change the value of the UseMasterKey value to 0. Note that a value of 0 clears the password check box and a value of 1 selects the password check box. Selecting the password check box enables password syncronization between Windows and a Microsoft Windows NT domain.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.

REFERENCES

For additional information about related topics, click the article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

230598 Synchronizing Windows NT Domain and Windows Passwords

Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:12/20/2004
Keywords:kbprb kbui KB245111
©2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.