Manage XP and Vista users using dos commands

Here is how to manage users with DOS in XP and Vista. You will say, why go through DOS if you can go through gpedit.msc?
The simple answer is no gpedit.msc in Vista is family and family in XP, DOS commands work for all versions.

Before you begin, you need to know where to enter commands. First, log on as administrator. Then:
For XP: Start Menu-> Run ... -> Type cmd and press enter

For Vista: Start Menu-> in the search module type cmd-> right click cmd and run as administrator.

Enabling or disabling a user

What is it?

This enables a user or not. If a user is active, it can connect, if it is inactive, it will not connect.
how?

to disable the user in the DOS window, type:

net user user_name /active:no

or, to enable, type:

net user user_name /active:yes

Set a password

• What is it?

This command defines a new password to a user

• How to do it?

You need to type:

net user user_name password

Requiring a user to change password at next logon

• What is it?

This defines whether a user must change password at next logon.

• How to do it


to change his password at next logon type:

net user user_name /logonpasswordchg:yes

Specify if the user has the right to change his password

• What is it?

This defines whether a user can change his password or not

• how?

to allow, type:

net user user_name /passwordchg:yes

to forbid, type:

net user user_name /passwordchg:no

Set the minimum length of a password for all users

• What is it?

This defines the minimum size of a password

• how?

Type:

net accounts /minpwlen: length

Choose the minimum period before a user can change password

• What is it?

This selects the number of days before a user can change a password

• how?


Type:

net accounts / minpwage: Days

Prevent a user from reusing the same password

• What is it?

This prevents a user from reusing the same password. So that it can reuse the same password, it will change how many times you decide

• how?

Type:

net accounts / uniquepw: Number range1 and 24