Can’t change user’s password in Computer Management—Why?

Baeolophus · Feb 8, 2024

I am logged into a PC running Windows 11 Pro with a user ID that has admin privileges. I am connected to it via RDP. I launch Computer Management. In Computer Management (local) → System Tools → Local Users and Groups → Users. I right-click on a user listed and select Set Password…. I see this

I click on Proceed and enter the new password twice and click on OK. I then get this:

What exactly does this mean? How do I work around this? This computer is not actually joined to any domain.

Baeolophus · Feb 8, 2024

I have since learned of the netplwiz utility. However, that gives me this:

It is beginning to dawn on me that the reason for this may be that the user is logged into her Microsoft account and that therefore Microsoft has taken over the management of the password and other aspects of the user ID. Wow!

Now trying the command net user on the command line:

No cigar!

idgat · Feb 8, 2024

"The system is not authoritative ...." ? Weird/strange phraseology ?

That aside, I'd be looking into the RDP connection as a clue/the cause ..... perhaps ?

Baeolophus · Feb 8, 2024

idgat said:
That aside, I'd be looking into the RDP connection as a clue/the cause ..... perhaps ?

Good point, although, should that be the underlying cause, the error alert is hardly hinting at that.

Unfortunately, this is at a client’s business's and I am not on site all the time. I’ll see, whether I can pay them a visit tomorrow.

idgat · Feb 8, 2024

Baeolophus said:
the error alert is hardly hinting at that.

Oh yeh, Microsoft excel at that. My terminology is "error message of last resort", when the system can't quite identify the problem so dives into the error message database grab-bag and pops up what it thinks is the next best thing.

EDIT : I just noticed your OS : macOS Sonoma, could be a factor also. Microsoft and Apple frequently don't play well together and have often been known not to be on speaking terms for some processes.

Baeolophus · Feb 9, 2024

idgat said:
EDIT : I just noticed your OS : macOS Sonoma, could be a factor also. Microsoft and Apple frequently don't play well together and have often been known not to be on speaking terms for some processes.

My RDP client is Microsoft Remote Desktop for macOS. Shouldn’t make a difference, should it?

idgat · Feb 9, 2024

Baeolophus said:
Shouldn’t make a difference, should it?

Couldn't say for sure, don't use it. But from what I know and seen, these above could be a couple of possibilities

Interesting the absence of responses from what is usually an extremely helpful and knowledgeable group of users in this forum.

Baeolophus · Feb 12, 2024

So, I found that even when sitting in front of the PC, I cannot change the password with the Computer Management utility. I do remember now that I can remote into that user’s session using her Microsoft 365 password. The conclusion is that basically Microsoft has taken over the management of that user. She also cannot change her password by doing a CTRL-ALT-DELETE.

idgat · Feb 12, 2024

Baeolophus said:
The conclusion is that basically Microsoft has taken over the management of that user.

Doubt it. Something else at play here .....

cflusflwfl · Feb 13, 2024

If it is an online, not local Microsoft User password, it will not let you change it the way you are trying. Those tools are for local accounts only. She would have to go to Change your Microsoft account password - Microsoft Support
Or you could login as that account on the pc and change it to a local account and then those tools would work for that account.

kelper · Jun 17, 2024

I have been sat at my laptop for hours trying to change a user's password. Even with SYSTEM privileges it can't be done. I will create a new user with a local account and see if it works then.

Yes, I confirm, it's only possible for an admin to change a user's password if they are using a local account.

hsehestedt · Jun 17, 2024

Question: Is your goal to simply change the password for that user? Performing a forced reset of the password (which is what you are doing) is very different than simply changing the password. If you want to simply change the password, logon as that user, then change the password.

kelper · Jun 17, 2024

@Baeolophus

I realise you probably have this sorted. There is an app called PCUnlocker that will reset or change a user or admin password. It's a download used to make a bootable USB. If the computer can't be booted in Legacy mode, you need the enterprise version which is a tad pricey (£50 or $50).
If you use it on a MS account it works but it will turn the account into a local account. I suppose you can always turn it back into a MS account later. I am testing it on a laptop and most of it works but I will have to buy a USB mouse as I can't reach all the features using a keyboard. I do know how to navigate with TAB, Shift-TAB and the cursor keys but there are three buttons that are unreachable, as I see no cursor.

dacrone · Jun 17, 2024

If your only goal is to reset a local acct password, no tool is needed. Boot to recovery, launch Cmd and change it via net user command.

If you want to manage Microsoft accts in a workplace, do it via 365AD. If you don’t use 365, you should really prohibit users from being able to sign in with a Microsoft acct on workplace machines and manage the user accts via AD.

If they are all connected to a Workgroup, I would recommend enforcing local accts as well to avoid situations like this…

kelper · Jun 17, 2024

dacrone said:
. Boot to recovery, launch Cmd and change it via net user command

It's even easier to just use Computer Management as you don't need to reboot.
Or Teminal as Admin and then use netplwiz.

dacrone · Jun 17, 2024

Booting to recovery bypasses the need for any admin acct as it runs Cmd at system level

andrew129260 · Jun 17, 2024

The message seems clear to me, its telling you it belongs to an online account, so most likely a microsoft account.

I have seen in some organizations that just have regular Active Directory, they don't have the microsoft accounts stuff locked down/prevented properly, so when a user checks their personal account email in outlook for example or uses their work account to login to a microsoft app, it converts it to a microsoft account because they just clicked next and let it log into the online account across the whole pc.

If you have the user login and go under settings > accounts > Emails & Accounts if there is an email address there its a microsoft account. You can then remove it and bring it back to local. If it is a local account joined with AD that will display there.

Code:

Edit: Also turn off the microsoft consumer experience to prevent the windows pop ups urging them to sign in:
Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Cloud Content >
Turn off cloud optimized content + Turn off Microsoft consumer experience.
(Seems like this might only apply to enterprise and education editions)

kelper · Jun 17, 2024

I've just tested PCUnlocker and it can reset, change or delete the password of any admin or user account. And, yes, it converts it to a local account.
Could be a very useful tool. The website warns you that if you change the password for a user who logs inwith a MS account they will lose access to any EFS encrypted files, personal certificates and stored passwords.

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