W2k3 Password Length Policy change

I need to know how to change the allowed password length on a Windows 2003 Server. When I tried to change it using the Windows help, the place to change it was greyed out and I could not make a change. Evidently I did something wrong. Can someone help me with this? Thanks, Dennis Myhand

 

Domain or Workgroup?

 

See this:

http://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsServer/en/library/041728b4-5ed9-44a8-99fe-c050333d42451033.mspx?mfr=true

and this:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windowsserver2003/technologies/directory/activedirectory/stepbystep/strngpw.mspx

 

Domain

 

Number one simply tells what a strong password policy means which is useless information. Number two I have already attempted since that is what the Windows help leads one through, and it is not much help since everything I try to change is greyed out and unchangeable. Thanks for the attempt.

 

In my experience, password policies only apply at the root level. I think you have to change them at the root of AD. Are you trying to set the policy at a child object? If so try using the properties of the root Active Directory object instead.

 

I have no idea. How would I know if I was trying to set them at a child object? How do I get to the properties of the root Active Directory object?

 

If you look at this image of the Activedirectory:

http://img.microsoft.com/library/me...ctory/activedirectory/stepbystep/sgad8702.gif

The root of the domain is the highlighted Contoso object. The child objects are those that branch out below this object.

Also have a look at this guide to managing group policies.

If you've seperated your users in to groups or seperate Organisational Units, each of these is a child object on your Active Directory Domain. My point is that I don't think you can set a password policy on such a child object and this may be why the settings are greyed out. Password policies have to be set at the domain level.

 

Well, if a user is a child object, I have not been trying to set the password policy using one, since I can't make a password strong enough to pass the policy which is in place.

 

Heres an article that explains the procedure in a round about way.

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/pr...ctory/activedirectory/stepbystep/strngpw.mspx

I dont have access to an 03 DC at this time. Otherwise I could give you step by step screen shots.

 

Ah! I've been assuming you were already trying to use Group Policy to alter the password policy. Follow Scotts links. They're more appropriate to your problem than mine.

 

Thanks, Scott. This got me what I needed. Thanks to all who responded. It is appreciated. Thanks, again, Dennis Myhand