OS X Server :: Changing Administrator Password / Unable To Authenticate On Netinfo Manager

I started this thread on another forum. I�m coming here because they�ve been less with forthcoming with help or things to attempt. See the related link.I've been handed control of a Mac lab at my school. The former admin was supposed to document, but he didn't. To lock this slack-tastic wonder out of my network I wanted to change the password on my local Panther server.

Being the Unix geek that I am, I SSH'd to the server, logged in as administrator and called 'passwd' to change my password. Now Workgroup Manager doesn't work.

It was suggested that I attempt to edit the NetInfo database directly. I tried via the 'Netinfo Manager', but that didn't do anything helpful. Now I can't authenticate on the 'Netinfo Manager' on the server and I still can't become fully authenticated with the 'Workgroup Manager' on my own account. I am able to authenticate on the server directly, with the GUI and console. I'm able to install software, use 'sudo', etc.

I tired to use the 'pwpolicy' command since 'administrator' authenticates with the PasswordService, but I got an odd error: Code: pwpolicy -a administrator -u administrator -setpassword apple

*** Error: dsDoDirNodeAuth failed with error = -14090
Method = dsAuthMethodStandard:dsAuthSetPasswd

I can't find a reference to that error code anywhere. I have verified that I can authenticate correctly with 'pwpolicy'.

I tried to modify the password with the install discs, but I didn't see any simple tools for changing the password when browsing the CDs. I assume I have to boot off them in order to change the password, but when I restarted the server with the OSX install disc inserted it did not boot off the disc. Is there an easy way to allow for booting off the disc on a Mac platform? I'm only familiar with the PC configuration methods.