Weird RUNAS error

Have this weird runas error on my XP client VM. When I use the command prompt to enter in different credentials than the ones I am logged on with, I get the following error:
RUNAS error: Unable to acquire user password

This is happening whether I logon as the domain admin or a domain user. I have tried other accounts as well and none of them seem to work. I know for sure that the RUNAS thing works as I can shift click on add/remove programs and can get in using any credentials. Also, adminpak is installed on this machine. I have tried my other VM's and the same thing happens there as well.

Could someone please tell me why this might be happening. A google for this error hasnt yielded much.

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Comments

sprkymrk

Can you post the command exactly as you type it? Obviously you can substitute user/pw with something else, but keep everything exactly as you type it. Sometimes a simple syntax error will generate strange error messages.

Essendon

Sure, I type in the command as

C:\>runas /user: contoso\<username> , then I hit enter and it gives me
Enter the password for : (after which I punch in the password and it gives me that dumb error.

Additionally, I tried it on the host machine and the same thing as above. Something screwy going on here. Also, Mark, notice how it asks for the password. Normally it should say "Enter the password for contoso\<username>". But in my case, it just says "Enter password for :"

P.S. I have tried using username@contoso.com, instead of the old NT4 style, which didnt work either.

undomiel

Do you have a command that you are actually trying to run? I think that's part of the problem here. Also make sure you are NOT putting a space after /user:

runas /user:contoso\username calc.exe

That should fix it. It is very important not to have a space after /user:

Essendon

Yay, that's fixed. Thank you for your advice, undomiel and Mark. I was getting the syntax wrong. There's got to be no space after /user:. So, runas /user:contoso\username calc.exe. that's how it is, as undomiel said.

undomiel

You're welcome! I'll take my duct tape and go back to my corner now.

sprkymrk

Glad you got it working.

Essendon

undomiel wrote:

You're welcome! I'll take my duct tape and go back to my corner now.