4.4. How to Reset Server Password Using the Software

Note: Before going through the steps mentioned below, make sure that you have made changes in the BIOS settings to boot your Windows Server machine using bootable media.

To reset the password of your Server, follow the steps mentioned below:

1. Place the bootable CD-DVD or attach the USB drive to the system and restart it to boot the server from the bootable CD-DVD or USB drive.

2. When the server restarts you will see the screen as displayed below.

3. After the booting process completes, you will see the Password Recovery screen of Stellar Password Recovery for MS Exchange as shown below:

4.  Select the Windows Server operating system from the drop-down list.

Note: If your server has a RAID configuration and it is not listed in the Select Windows Server list, follow the Steps to Install RAID Card Driver. After installing the drivers your Windows Server will get listed, select the Server in the Select Windows Server list.

5. Click 'Next'. A Follow Steps screen appears as displayed below. Read the steps carefully and note down all the steps on a paper with the path "C:\ResetPassword.exe" (that needs to be run after reboot) as mentioned on the screen. If you have attached a removable storage device, you can click Save Steps to save the steps in it as text or you can take a picture of this screen.

6. Save Steps dialog box appears to confirm if you have noted down the required steps. Select the check-box "I have saved the steps for resetting password" and click Reboot.

Note: In case you have not saved the steps and you do not have the PDF document having all the steps either, then click Steps to take note of all the steps.

7. Remove CD-DVD or any other bootable media from the machine and press function key while rebooting to enter the 'Advanced Boot Options' screen as shown below:

1. For Windows Server 2008 and lower versions, select the option 'Directory Services Restore Mode' and hit .

2. For Windows Server 2019, Server 2016 and Server 2012, select 'Directory Services Repair Mode' and hit .

8. To login onto the Windows Server, follow the steps as given below:

1. Press Ctrl-Alt-Del key combination.
2. On the operating system login screen, click 'Switch User'. The screen is displayed below:

3. On the 'Switch User' login screen as shown below enter the following details to login:
   • Username: Administrator
   • Password: (No password to be given)

4. Press Key.

9. After the boot process is completed, browse to the location where ResetPassword.exe has been copied and double-click on the executable file. This executable file is copied to the root of your selected operating system drive. After the executable file is run, the following screen is displayed (the screen shown below may take some time to appear due to some processing being done in the background):

10. Enter the Username whose password you want to change.

Note: Username is mandatory because there can be many users on the server.

11. Enter the new password as per the security policy of your Windows Server. Default policy states that the server password must be between 7 and 16 characters in length with at least 1 Special Character (Such as. ! @ # $ % ^ & * ), 1 numeric, 1 lowercase character and 1 UPPERCASE character.

12. Re-type the password to confirm. Password matched appears below the password field if your password matches with the re-typed password.

13. Click the 'Reboot' to continue the process.

14. Click 'OK' to restart the system. When the system reboots, you need to login into your domain server with the new password that you entered while resetting it.