Troubleshooting Frequent Account lockout

Most of the users account will get locked from locally desktops and Mobile devices or idle sessions left on Server / workstation, We need to start Account lookout troubleshooting from below order.

1. Client side troubleshooting
2. Mobile devices
3. Server side  troubleshooting

Client side

Perform the below steps on client side (Local desktop / Laptop)

• Clear Temporary Files
• Delete Cookies ->Temp Files -> History -> Saved passwords -> Forms from all the Browsers.
• Start — > Run –> Temp –> Delete all temp files.
• Start –> Run –> Prefetch –> Delete all Prefetch files.
• Remove Mapped drives from my computer.  My Computer –> Right click on Shared drive –> click on Disconnect
• If Adobe reader is installed, backend it will be trying to check for latest update, Delete the Adobe updater file from below path. Delete the AdobeUpdater.dll file in the folder C:\Program Files\Adobe\Reader version \Reader
• Remove stored passwords from Control Panel
• Start –> Run –> Type Control UserPasswords2 , Click on Advanced managed passwords and delete all the passwords
• Remote unwanted applications from startups (Run-> msconfig –> startup –> Uncheck unwanted software’s)
• Scan the entire HDD and update the Antivirus agent
• Check the third party software’s installed on client side, If it’s not required, Uninstall.
• Open the Task Scheduler (Run --> Tasks) and delete the unwanted tasks. Most of the time, Automatic backup / Google Update / Apple Updates will be installed by default) Remove all.
• Uninstall Auto update software’s in control panel (You can update these software’s manually)
• If user’s account acts as a service account (Update the latest password in Service).
• Check if User’s account used as an IIS application pool identity.

Mobile Devices

Perform the below steps on Mobile devices / Smart phone (BYOD)

 If user recently changed password and forgot to update in Mobile devices, that cause the account lockout  sometime for user ID,Does user involved has a smartphone or some kind of mobile device using AD credentials for connecting (like exchange), if it fails to connect 5 times (depending on your GPO’s), it locks his account. Have a look on all his stuff using his user account automatically, specially his mobile (90% of the time guilty).

• Go to account settings in Mobile device and update the latest password.
• Reboot the device if required.
• Is issue persists, Delete and reconfigure the device,
• If you found that account is getting locked from mobile device, and unable to fix the by performing above steps, Take necessary backup and Wipe the device completely and reconfigure the device.

Server / Active Directory

User below tools to find out source of the account lockout - On Server

1. Account Lockout and Management Tool.http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=18465