Knowing how to properly use the Local Administrator Password (LAPS) tool to access administrator privileges is very important. Proper usage ensures that the security benefits LAPS provides are maximized. Follow these steps to learn the best practices to adhere to when using LAPS. For more information about the LAPS program, see the LAPS Information Page.
Visit laps.mst.edu and enter your computer's name. Your computer's name should be a string of letters and numbers located on a label attached to the computer itself or to its monitor. It should also be the same computer that you filled out the S&T IT Managed Computer Administrator Privilege Request form for. When the name has been entered, click "search"
Click "view info" in the box that appears, then select and enter a reason for getting administrator access. When this has been entered, click "retrieve"
A list of previously used passwords will be generated if you have used the LAPS software before. Navigate to the current password located at the top of the list and select "Copy to clipboard." Click the "Toggle View" button to help distinguish numbers and special characters from letters in the password.
Note: New passwords are generated every 24 hours. When a new password is generated, the previous password ceases to function and the new password must be used.
When the preceding steps have been completed, perform the task(s) that required you to have administrator privileges. When prompted, enter the administrator username and password. The username may have been provided to you in prior documentation or from another source. If this was not the case and you do not know the administrator username, contact the IT Help desk for more info. The username should be formatted in the following manner:
Note: there must be a backslash between the two names, using a forward slash will not work.
The password to be entered is the same password that was copied in Step 3.
When using LAPS to open or run programs, copy the files to be opened into the "temp" folder of your C: drive. Then, right click the file(s) to be opened and select "run as different user" or "run as administrator"
