net accounts

net accounts

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Manages password and logon requirements for user accounts.

Syntax

 net accounts [/forcelogoff:{   minutes   no}] [/minpwlen:   length   ]  [/maxpwage:{   days   unlimited}] [/minpwage:   days   ] [/uniquepw:   number   ]  [/domain] 

Options

None

Current password and logon settings.

/forcelogoff:[minutes no]

Time to wait before terminating a user session when account or password expires . (The default is no , which means user isn't forced to log off.) A warning is sent to the user telling her to save her work.

/minpwlen:length

Minimum number of characters required for password. (The default is 6, and the allowed range is 0-127.)

/maxpwage:[days unlimited]

Maximum number of days passwords are valid before expiring. (The default is 90, and the allowed range is 1-49,710.) unlimited means passwords never expire. The value of /maxpwage must exceed /minpwage .

/minpwage:days

Minimum number of days before a user is allowed to change his password. (The default is 0, and the allowed range is 0-49,710.) Choosing 0 means users can change their passwords anytime .

/uniquepw:number

Specification of password history by requiring users to not repeat a password for number password changes. (The default is 5, and the allowed range is 0-24.)

/domain

On member servers and workstations, an indication that net accounts settings apply to domain accounts rather than local ones. (On WS2003 domain controllers, this is the default setting anyway and isn't needed.)

Examples

Display the current password and logoff settings:

  net accounts  Force user logoff how long after time expires?: Never Minimum password age (days): 0 Maximum password age (days): 42 Minimum password length: 0 Length of password history maintained: 18 Lockout threshold: Never Lockout duration (minutes): 30 Lockout observation window (minutes): 30 Computer role: PRIMARY The command completed successfully. 

Notes

• The Netlogon Service must be running to use net accounts .

• To manage password and logon restrictions for a domain, see Group Policy in Chapter 4.

• If net accounts displays the computer role as PRIMARY , the computer is a domain controller; if SERVER , it is a standalone server.

See Also

Groups, Group Policy, Users