Reset a Computer Account

Applies To: Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2012

Membership in Account Operators , Domain Admins , or Enterprise Admins , or equivalent, is the minimum required to complete this procedure. Review details about using the appropriate accounts and group memberships at https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=83477.

Resetting a computer account

  • Using the Windows interface

  • Using a command line

To reset a computer account using the Windows interface

  1. To open Active Directory Users and Computers, click Start , click Control Panel , double-click Administrative Tools , and then double-click Active Directory Users and Computers .

    To open Active Directory Users and Computers in Windows Server® 2012, click Start , type dsa.msc .

  2. In the console tree, click Computers .

    Where?

    • Active Directory Users and Computers\ domain node \Computers

    Or, click the folder that contains the computer that you want to reset.

  3. In the details pane, right-click the computer, and then click Reset Account .

Additional considerations

  • To perform this procedure, you must be a member of the Account Operators group, Domain Admins group, or Enterprise Admins group in Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS), or you must have been delegated the appropriate authority. As a security best practice, consider using Run as to perform this procedure.

  • You can also perform the task in this procedure by using the Active Directory module for Windows PowerShell. To open the Active Directory module, click Start , click Administrative Tools , and then click Active Directory Module for Windows PowerShell .

    To open the Active Directory module in Windows Server 2012, open Server Manager , click Tools and then click Active Directory Module for Windows PowerShell .

    For more information, see Reset a Computer Account (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=138388). For more information about Windows PowerShell, see Windows PowerShell (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=102372).

Additional references

To reset a computer account using a command line

  1. To open a command prompt, click Start , click Run , type cmd , and then click OK .

    To open a command prompt in Windows Server 2012, click Start , type cmd , and then click OK .

  2. Type the following command, and then press ENTER:

    dsmod computer <ComputerDN> -reset
    
Parameter Description

<ComputerDN>

Specifies the distinguished name of one or more computer objects that you want to reset.

-reset

Resets the specified computer object.

To view the complete syntax for this command, and for information about entering user account information, at a command prompt, type the following command, and then press ENTER:

dsmod computer /? 

Additional considerations

  • To perform this procedure, you must be a member of the Account Operators group, Domain Admins group, or Enterprise Admins group in AD DS, or you must have been delegated the appropriate authority. As a security best practice, consider using Run as to perform this procedure.

  • You can also perform the task in this procedure by using the Active Directory module for Windows PowerShell. To open the Active Directory module, click Start , click Administrative Tools , and then click Active Directory Module for Windows PowerShell .

    To open the Active Directory module in Windows Server 2012, open Server Manager , click Tools and then click Active Directory Module for Windows PowerShell .

    For more information, see Reset a Computer Account (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=180687). For more information about Windows PowerShell, see Windows PowerShell (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=102372).

Additional references