Windows Login password question

[tal ormanda]

My brother forgot his password to his laptop and he got into the registry in safe mode to delete it so he could get into it. Where would this be located? In case it happens again.

[gamehead200]

As far as I know, Windows XP doesn't store its passwords in the registry like previous versions of Windows... Are you sure it was the registry?

If it ever happens again, I suggest using a small utility called ntpasswd. Use it to blank the password, login to Windows, and change your password there. Only use it to blank the password, not change it.

[Takeshi]

All he did was logon to the built-in Administrator account in Safe Mode in XP HE and forcefully reset the pw on another user account.

It is not possible in XP to delete the SAM (in HKLM) unless offline.

EDIT: It is still the SAM that stores the pw. That tool loads it for blanking offline. I can do that using WinPE.

Edited September 20, 2006 by Takeshi

[gamehead200]

All he did was logon to the built-in Administrator account in Safe Mode in XP HE and forcefully reset the pw on another user account.

It is not possible in XP to delete the SAM (in HKLM) unless offline.

EDIT: It is still the SAM that stores the pw. That tool loads it for blanking offline. I can do that using WinPE.

Ha, yeah, that's what I thought... The SAM file isn't even in the registry...

Right, but I find WinPE too long to load... I've got a CD with four different unattended XPs and loads of bootable tools that do everything you could do in WinPE, only faster.

[Takeshi]

You miss the point I was making.

With MS WinPE, I don't need any 3rd party tool to edit the SAM. And the fact that you have a multi-boot CD which loads quicker is hardly relevant to the main point of discussion really. If you use Offline NT Password & Registry Editor, it's not the quickest nor the easiest tool to blank the pw.

EDIT: I wonder why the poster didn't just ask his brother. Surely that would be the quickest and most direct way to get an answer. If there's indeed a method which works in Safe Mode and which is not what I said above, do pls let me know.

Edited September 21, 2006 by Takeshi