Setpwd.exe Enhancement to Specify a DSRM Password as an Argument (810037)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server SP3
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server SP2
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server SP1
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Server SP3
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Server SP2
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Server SP1
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP3
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP2
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP1

SYMPTOMS

The Setpwd.exe utility that is included with Windows 2000 Service Pack 2 (SP2) reads the Directory Service Restore Mode Administrator password on the console. This prevents this utility from being used in a scripted environment.

RESOLUTION

Service Pack Information

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Microsoft Windows 2000. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

260910 How to Obtain the Latest Windows 2000 Service Pack

Hotfix Information

A supported fix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to correct the problem that is described in this article. Apply it only to computers that are experiencing this specific problem. This fix may receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, Microsoft recommends that you wait for the next Windows 2000 service pack that contains this hotfix.

To resolve this problem immediately, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the fix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services phone numbers and information about support costs, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support

NOTE: In special cases, charges that are ordinarily incurred for support calls may be canceled if a Microsoft Support Professional determines that a specific update will resolve your problem. The typical support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for the specific update in question.

The English version of this fix has the file attributes (or later) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in coordinated universal time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time tool in Control Panel.
   Date         Time   Version        Size   File name
   ----------------------------------------------------
   05-Nov-2002  22:29  5.0.2195.6114  6,416  Setpwd.exe

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article. This problem was first corrected in Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 4.

MORE INFORMATION

The file that is provided by this fix accepts a DSRM password as a command-line argument. You can use this, for example, to modify the password during an unattended Setup of a Windows 2000-based domain controller without any user intervention. Note that an unattended Dcpromo Setup requires the local administrator account and password to be set in clear text in the Dcpromo answer file.

For additional information about how to obtain a hotfix for Windows 2000 Datacenter Server, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

265173 The Datacenter Program and Windows 2000 Datacenter Server Product

Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:10/11/2005
Keywords:kbHotfixServer kbQFE kbSecurity kbWin2kSP4fix kbWin2000sp3fix kbfix kbbug KB810037
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