Can anyone tell me where Windows XP Pro stores user logon passwords?

Answer 1

Technically it doesn't. The passwords are encrypted and as such can not be read. The password are only stored to be matched at login.

The location can be found at:
C:\WINDOWS\system32\config

But the password can not be read.

Answer 2

They're encrypted in the system SAM files located at - C:\WINDOWS\system32\config

And the system will not allow you to access them.
There are other ways to find out a password.. go to Y! Search and type "Hacking Windows XP" or something, if you download Cain & Abel (from http://oxid.it/ ) you can view the LSA Secrets.. dump thoes and you can view the "DefaultPassword" (it should contain '00' every hexadecimal character)..

Example: 74 00 65 00 73 00 74 00 31 00 32 00 33 00 --- (my password is 'test123' for windows so thoes numbers represent my password).. not to mention it has my password in plain-text as " t.e.s.t.1.2.3. " so just take out the dots and voila.
You need to be logged on a users' account to get the information .. like pretend to be doing some work, and until he quicjly leaves the room, do it!

Dys.

Answer 3

in case you're no longer a working laptop or pc technican, call a techie and ask them to recuperate your XP password. somebody is going to ought to return over. in case you're a working laptop or pc technican then you are able to reset the password by making use of reseting the SAM and registry hive, a black exhibit screen with a cursor is merely too spooky. Use L0phtCrack. the two way it is cryptic and it gets screwed up pc isn't coming back up. no longer without wiping out each and every thing of direction. ensure you have have been given contemporary backups of all your stuff someplace. least confusing way is to handle this although is bear in recommendations your password. XP passwords are case comfortable. So attempt Password, password, no longer something with Administrator because of the fact the password

Answer 4

In users accounts, in the control panel.You can change them and then store them in manage my network passwords.When you open an account the password aera will show up.