Resetting Domain on Windows XP?

I got a free laptop from a company that went out of business. It runs WinXP.

I'd like to set up a home network and use it there. I followed the WinXP wizard setup and made my desktop computer the primary hub. But when I try to set it up on the laptop, XP setup says the laptop is part of a domain and thus can't be set up on a home network.

I can get internet access for the laptop, but I can't browse the files on my desktop computer. Strangely, I *used* to be able to browse the desktop, but that stopped working for some reason. When I browse the network on the laptop, it shows workgroups from the now-defunct company, but not my local network.

Any ideas on how to get around this? The main thing I want is file sharing.

Dave's Answer:

Here's what you should try first:

1) Right-click on My Computer (whether from the Desktop or inside Explorer) and select Properties. You can also get to it by double clicking the System icon inside of Control Panel, Classic View, or go into Performance and Maintenance and select System in the new XP view.

2) Select the Computer Name tab.

3) Click the Change button and you should be able to change to a Workgroup mode there.

I did this and rebooted, but now it won't let me log in. I think it's
relying on the old domain user & password. Is there a way to get in
otherwise?

Ordinarily, I'd suggest that you try to boot into safe mode (press F8 after the BIOS screens). Login as Administrator and create a new account or change the password. This won't work for your situation, however, because you don't know the administrative password.

Before you reinstall from scratch, losing anything you have installed on the computer, there is one more possibility: use a Password Recovery tool. Of course, these tools don't really recover the password, but they do allow you to reset it. The downside is, if any files are encrypted, then they are lost forever.

This page explains it a bit and lists some tools available for download:
http://www.petri.co.il/forgot_administrator_password.htm.

Try using the Offline NT Password & Registry editor and just change your administrative password to blanks and you should be good to go.

Thanks to Westley Annis for his help with this answer

More Useful Windows PC Help Articles:

✔ What's the easiest way to speed up my Windows PC laptop?

My Dell Windows 7 laptop is starting to drive me crazy. It's so darn slow! I've had it a few years and I...

✔ Can I force a Windows 7 OS system update?

Every so often Windows 7 pops up a window and tells me that there are updates. That's nice, but how can I force...

✔ Fix Google Drive (Gdrive) no longer supported (out of date)?

I'm a big Google fan and have been using Google Drive for quite a while as a cloud storage device. It's a breeze,...

✔ How do I open or unpack a RAR archive on my Windows PC?

I have some ".rar" files on my Windows 8 PC and am curious how to unpack them to see what's inside. From a...

✔ How can I shrink my Windows 8 Desktop file icons?

I've figured out most things in the new Windows 8 interface, except I can't see how to easily reduce or shrink the file...

Let's stay in touch!

Sign up for my weekly AskDaveTaylor Newsletter and you'll receive even more tech and gadget help right to your inbox, along with exclusive news and industry updates. It's good stuff. I promise!

Categorized: Windows PC Help (Article 3939, Written by Dave Taylor)
Tagged:
Previous: Using PHP to create a membership Web site?
Next: Can I use Microsoft Outlook Express with AOL?

Reader Comments To Date: 21

Uncle F Hoppy said, on March 26, 2005 5:41 PM:

Ooops... File not found (Error 404)

No document was found that matched the URL you entered. Perhaps you mistyped the URL:

MCSEworld has been recently re-organized. Some URLs might not work, but that doesn't mean that the page you're looking for does not exist. Please use the Advanced Search page to find what you need.

If you were referred to this page by ANOTHER site please let THEM know that their link no longer works:

matthew said, on March 27, 2005 3:45 AM:

I think the site is now here:
http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/

Now, I've never used that tool, but I've heard good things. It's basically just a password resetter for windows NT-based log ons. Easy enough to use, I'm sure, as long as command line doesn't frighten you too much.

I see now that it can also do registry edits... interesting. This could make for some good fun. I need five minutes with my buddy's computer. hehe :)

Bill Pileggi said, on March 28, 2005 5:48 AM:

With all due respect to loosing work/programs installed since acquiring laptop: ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS RE-INSTALL the Operating System from scratch on a used computer. Our group sees this nearly every day - used systems loaded with spyware/viruses, bad drivers or just plain bad installs. (And, yes, this includes "fleet" computers (off-lease) from businesses, etc.)

http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/editor.html generally works well. Users, especially adults, forget their passwords all the time.

Jeff Schwarz said, on March 28, 2005 2:22 PM:

I have run into this also. After creating a new user, Edit the registry:
HKLM\mICROSOFT\WINDOWS NT\CURRENT VERSION\WINLOGON. Find the Default User Name and change it th the new user name that you created. If there is a default password, delete it.
Reboot the laptop and it should default to the new user name.

cris david said, on June 8, 2006 10:07 PM:

i added a XP-pro laptop to a MS Windows 2003 small business server domain successfully, but after that, even though it seems that i can login to the domain, the computer cannot browse domain resources (or any other resources on the network).

do you suggest anything?
cris

Paltinis A said, on November 10, 2006 2:41 AM:

Hello,
I have a similar problem. I changed the Network Domain into Workgroup to build a share connection, but after the reboot the users can no longer be used. My problem is now that I need to change back the old domain name. I don’t have the administrator password, or the Network Domain ID + Password.

Questions:

1. By resetting the Administrator password (with ERD Commander) I get back the access to the system?
2. After resetting the password, do I need to log into safe mode and change the Network Domain? Or I can log normally and make the change?
3. Do I need again the Network Domain ID and Password for the old domain?

The operating system is a Windows XP SP2

Robert E Larson said, on March 12, 2007 1:50 PM:

Hi:
My problem is that after I shut down my computer
(windows xp) the next time I turn it on the screen is black a sign in screen appears asking for User name and pass word. I have never set up my systems up for this, and even when I try save mode it still asks me. If I just hit enter and put nothing in a takes me to part of my home page. The windows tune plays once like for start up and than plays right away again and shuts down.
Can you help me with this?

Bob

faisal said, on July 21, 2007 5:52 AM:

i have one laptop it is xp open directily go to desktop. i log it in to domain then it ask user name and password window. then i change domain to workgroup. now when ever we open the computer it ask about the username and password window. is there any methord to remove this window.

Saquib Hussain said, on July 28, 2007 9:08 AM:

okay, there's a crude way to fix all this! Try this, make up some free space on a new parttion - you need around 4gb i guess. install another version of xp there, brwse through ure old fiels, and copy them to wherever you want to! this way you can save files. if you have less disk space, try using older version like Windows ME/98 or 2000. you cant use Win9X to brose if you have NTFS partitions though - but u actually can setup 2 copies of xp on the same partition. get a flash disk or burner, backup ure files, and then format everything and start new! - wala :D

Derek Bright said, on April 21, 2008 5:48 AM:

Hi,

slightly different problem. I used ERD commander 2007 to change a password on Windows 2003 Small Business server, and the commander informed me that the password had been changed. On re-boot the password remains the old one, despite trying various changes in ERD. Any idea's?

christopher said, on May 25, 2008 2:33 PM:

i reinstalled window the other day when i try to go on to my desktop it ask me for a password and i don't have one

Clinton said, on June 23, 2008 9:20 AM:

RE: Posted by: Paltinis A at November 10, 2006 2:41 AM

I have done the exact same thing trying to help a friend by transferring files across a shared workgroup network and now cannot access my notebook at all.

Tyler Martin said, on December 12, 2008 1:22 AM:

This same thing happened on my computer. I've been working at it non stop. If there's a way to fix it, I'll find it. Or if one of you know it, please tell me. So far, I've tried to change the password using many different password changing programs, but I've had no success. I think the problem is that we need to change the domain of the computer back to what it was before, which was what got us all in this problem in the first place. I'm working on how to do that, but does anyone know a way of editing the registry to change the network domain value? I need to know!

Thomas P said, on December 24, 2008 8:22 PM:

I am struggling with the same issue on changed domain. I was given a work computer but altered the domain name but now when I attempt to log in, I get the message the domain name is incorrect. I can get access to the old domain name but I can't figure out how to get into the computer to change the domain name back - I am stuck at the log on screen. I have admin rights to the computer but I see nowhere in system registry where to change domain settings. Any help would be great.

chris said, on March 10, 2009 12:13 PM:

I have the same problem as Thomas.... with domain name changed..... How do I reset the domain to the previous domain name....... Help!

Linda said, on November 6, 2009 12:32 PM:

ok-I have a computer that my boss gave me-and I have the passwords-but it still won't let me in-says the domain is not found-so I can ot log in

Collet Viriri said, on August 5, 2010 9:32 AM:

I have recently reloaded my domain controller and this has caused all clients to lose the trust relationship. How do I reactivate it without losing user settings?

James said, on August 17, 2010 7:57 PM:

I am a network admin. My favorite program is Windows Password Reset Kit 1.5. It has helped me a lot.

Omoluabi said, on December 1, 2010 4:58 AM:

I have a similar thing happened on my computer. I changed the Network Domain into Workgroup and later (immediately) changed to the previous domain. With the same old login credentials, I was taken to a virgin (default) desktop. All efforts to retrieve my old desktop and documents proved abortive. I tried google desktop search to look for my files to no avail. I dont know what to do and I need to know! Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Judy said, on March 27, 2011 12:27 PM:

Has anyone used the recovery system to recover to an earlier time? That is what I did and my settings were restored to their original status.
hth

Jim Taylor said, on August 16, 2011 11:26 AM:

how can i logon a labtop that is part of a domain it will not take my admin password i changed from the domain to home use and now it will not let me log back on to the laptop and i have the admin username and password.

I do have a lot to say, and questions of my own for that matter, but first I'd like to say thank you, Dave, for all your helpful information by buying you a cup of coffee!

I do have a comment, now that you mention it!

Resetting Domain on Windows XP?

Reader Comments To Date: 21

I do have a comment, now that you mention it!

Check This Out Too...