Changing Local PC Password

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Guys,

Im looking to find a way for a user to change the local password on their laptop whilst not connected to the network. We have recently changed our password policy, requiring password changes by most users, but those who access our systems remotely cant seem to change their password, even when connected over VPN - all they get is a domain unavailable error.

What i want to do, in order to help prevent any problems caused by changing the password on the network and leaving the laptop password alone, is change the local password (i know it wont change the password on the network, but we can deal with that) on the laptop - that way we can have the user change their local password to be the same as a password we set for them, until they can next get into the office to change the password themselves.

Even some way IS could change the password on the local machine when they are connected over VPN would be good.

These machines are running 2k or xp, and i have checked out the users and passwords section in control panel - but they appear to just contain admin and guest - no mention of the individual users.

Thanks
Fergal

 

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I'm probably going to botch this but I don't think changing the password of the local machine over VPN is an option. My understanding here is that when a remote worker logs into the network using VPN, they are logging into the domain. Once authenticated with their domain credentials, they system sees them as a domain user. When they try to connet to the local machine accounts, they don't have access because they are not authenticated on the local machine. It's like mixing apples and oranges. The local machine account will be unavailable (hence the error message) as long as they are connected remotely to the domain.

My opinion is that they'll *have* to change their local machine password physically at the machine (and now that I've said all that...wiser heads will probably come in and make me look silly... )

 

access the (local) user accounts through Run > compmgmt.msc

 

unfortunately i cant use the compmgmt to do this, as the user's accounts dont appear in the list (grrrrr).

Trip, the problem we have is that they cant change their password even if they arent connected to our network.

 

in this scenario, are they logged on with their local account (the one that needs its password changed)?
if so, doesn't ctrl+alt+del > Change Password work?

 

yep, they initially log onto their PC as a standalone machine, then connect via VPN, but the change password option doesnt work - it just produces the domain unavailable error message.

 

Do these users have local administrator rights for their laptops?

 

nope.

 

what you're talking about are not local accounts. they are cached domain accounts. you can only change their password when you are connected to the domain. you need to look into your vpn connections to see why they get a 'domain unavailable' error. any firewall or ipsec in the way, perhaps?