Microsoft Technical Support? We don’t need no stinkin’ Microsoft Technical Support!
Not a critical problem for now, but still curious:
I have a small office, with three computers (Win 98 and Win 95) using the same software, connecting to the single data file on the new Win 2000 machine.
Everything has been working fine, after the fine SDMB experts helped me set up the network properly (turns out the Win 98 and Win 95 computers each had to have a “profile” or be a “user” on the Win 2000 machine, and then would be allowed access to the proper files).
Today however, one of the computers would not connect. The error message said that the “password had expired”.
Huh?
I went into “Users and Passwords” on the Win 2000 control panel, and there is no field for any kind of expiration date, or date of any kind. Likewise on “Passwords” in the Win 95 control panel.
After looking and checking, however, the problem seems to be solved, without my having to change anything. If this never happens again, I can just ignore it.
But what if it does, or can happen again?
Anyone know what has caused the “password has expired” error? (Actually, I did not write it down at the time, so I may be paraphrasing here). If anyone can help shed light on this or help me to prevent it from happening again, I would appreciate it!
Go to control panel -> administrative tools -> computer management -> pick “local users and groups” -> select “users” -> pick the user you are using, and make sure “password never expires” is set.
I think that is what you are after, Windows 2000 has several different places they hide stuff, if that doesnt do it, and it shows up again, add a password, then go in and add a blank one the next day.
I hadn’t checked the boards for a few days, but today both the other computers wouldn’t connect with the same “password expired” error message.
I followed your instructions, and sure enough looking in Properties of the different users from the Users section of the Computer Management window, I found the “Password Never Expires” checkbox.
It now works. Great! Thank-You! In my constant search for enlightenment, however, I have some follow up questions.
The two user names for the computers in question today had a checkbox selected that read
I had to deselect this checkbox in order to enable the “Password Never Expires” checkbox, which I have now done.
When I looked at the Properties for the user name for the computer I had this problem with a few days ago, as described in the OP, it did not have this checkbox selected. In fact, no checkboxes were selected for that user name, and I have now checked the “Password Never Expires” checkbox for that user name.
QUESTIONS
What does the “User must change password at next logon” mean, exactly? I can guess based on the english definition of these words, but does it really intend the password to be changed? How often would this happen? How did this option get selected in the first place?
As explained in the OP, I when this problem popped up for the first computer, I went into “Users and Passwords” from the control panel. Although the options you have now described were not available from this location, somehow just selecting the user name for that computer and closing the dialog box, even without changing anything, somehow got the user password accepted again. Did this action somehow de-select the “User must change password at next logon” selection automatically?
This is a common networking option, not just in Win2k. It forces the user to change their password after the next time they login. This is very handy if you are the network administrator in two situations:
You have just created the user profile and have given it a default password. Some users won’t change their default password unless absolutely forced to.
-The user has forgotten their password, so you have just reset it to another one so that they can get back in. Again, the user should change the password you have given it.
The accepted principle is that, even though you are administrator and have full access, you should not know your users’ passwords. Forcing them to change helps ensure that and Win2k will select it as a default in many circumstances. Similarly, forcing the periodical change of passwords is good practice and a default.
But obviously, in your particular case, it’s not an option that makes any sense. But something you did while selecting the ‘never change’ option triggered it.
I actually had exactly the same problem (except that I had a Win2000 and two Win98 computers). I searched and searched not only the help(less) file, but also a book published by Microsoft that is supposed to give the skinny on Win2000 and found nothing. Fortunately for me, my son happens to have been an MS programmer who actually was developer on NT5 (which was renamed Win2000) and he was able to give me the same instructions. But how are you supposed to find your way through all this undocumented stuff if you don’t have a son who worked on the OS?
I think I get it now… when I went into “Users and Passwords” and selected a particular username, looked at the settings, and closed the dialog box, Win 2000 acted as if I had just created that username, or had just given it a new password (even though I didn’t), and because I was the Administrator, automatically set it at that point to require a new password the second time that user logs in (because the second time they log in their password has expired).
Is this correct?
At least now I have a “rule” I can understand. And you’ve even explained the reasoning behind it, so I can understand it even if it is counterproductive to my situation. Fine, now it makes sense!
Almost all error messages can be located on the internet via some site or other and I use www.google.com and some part of the error message and usually find a workable solution.
