Windows XP

I was just wondering if anyone knows the difference between Windows XP's password (pwl) files and the password files of previous Windows versions. I've done some searching, but the information I'm finding seems to be conflicting. Thanks to anyone in advance!

Ruzhyo

Windows XP does not use PWL files (to my knowledge) it uses SAM files just like Windows 2000.... The XP SAM files are in C:\Windows (or WinNT) \system32\config\sam... These files cannot be read, written to or checked in any way while Windows is on.... There is a special boot disk to disable SYSKEY protection in the registry and access the SAM files to get the NTLM hashes from them... But thats cracking, and you wouldnt want to ask that here... Would you?

If you dont understand some words of what I said search for them on google with XP as a suffix.... So if you didnt get NTLM search for NTLM XP

SAM= sytems account manager (if u dont know)

if for legit reasons u need to get the SAM file, ntfs dos can be used. NTFS dos allows someone to access the ntfs partitions of windows xp, i cant b arsed to explain how to do it, just read up on it in good old mr google :P

Thanks, guys. I don't have Windows XP yet, so I was just curious - thinking about upgrading, but have been hearing bad things about security features. Maybe I'll wait for Windows XP Second Edition. ;-)

Thanks for your help!

Ruzhyo