Quick tip: easy Windows local administrator login

Here’s a quick tip for those of you who work in a Windows domain environment.

Like most people when I troubleshoot Windows workstations on a domain I often have to log in as local administrator. This means I have to type in the administrator username as [name of computer]\administrator.

Now it’s easy to get the hang of computer names in your office but often times I forget. (Sometimes that’s a good thing because it means I haven’t worked on that particular computer in awhile.) I will then have to click on “How do I log on to another domain?” where I’ll be shown the computer’s name.

Even if you know the name of the computer, there’s a convenient trick in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008. (Technically Vista too but who cares?) At the login screen, type .** followed by the local username (for example, **.\administrator) and the name of that particular computer will be filled in for you.

Quick tips like these are endless in supply.. if you know of a good one leave it in the comments!