Does anyone know where the passwords are saved for windows xp usernames? I know you can clear them via safemode with an admin account, but there has to be a file in maybe i386 or system32 that holds them... Anyone know?

 

Humm... well if your in admin for xp then you can change the passwords there. Xp hides their stuff in encripted files. Im pretty sure that they are shaw or sha encripted. Nonetheless its a 128bit encription. Its not like windoze98 where it was in the i386 files under pwd.doc..... I used to love that.... then I went to linux... and thats more fun.... but there you dont have a chance of finding the password files...

Anyways if worst comes to worst... Do this. 1 look up the registry hack to hide the previous accounts. 2. Create new accounts with the same names only different passwords.

 

Don't know if you already know this, but there is a way to enter one of the Default accounts that gets created when Windows is installed and that most people don't know. Administrator Account, you don't have to be in safe mode btw, pres Ctrl + Alt + Del twice in the Log in screen and it will bring up the Administrator account, enter and you can change whatever password you want.

 

^^ it brought up the type in a log in name for me and then when i did it said unable to log you in becasue of an account restriction.

 

xp passwords are very easy to crack if you have the password file. There was a howto done on the screen savers tv show a couple years ago. I've seen the how to but I'd have to go look for it.

btw, jim, linux passwords are all conveniently located in /etc/passwd. they, just like xp, are encrypted but encryption can always be cracked.

dtn did you login as adminitrator/no password. Most of the time it's there but depending on the pc manufacturer they can turn it off or change the password. Dell I know leaves it there.

 

^^^That's right just type in " Administrator " and leave the password field blank...but if you installed XP then during installation it asks you for a password for that account, in that case, you'll have to provide that password

 

C:\(windows dir)\system32\config\SAM

you'll need something to read it though.

 

huh, you can leave it blank! I do all the time. 90% of the time you cen get in this backdoor without a password because of the fact that most people/companies leave it without a password.

edit: aaah, ok, I read it again. I thought you were saying you had to put in a password to install.

double edit!!!: found that video but I can't get a link to it. go to http://www.g4tv.com/search.aspx and search for xp password. You'll see it there. "Dark Tip: Windows Password Hacking"

 

Nice video fing02.gif