Before I get flamed...

I am a student in a network security program. I am a *N*X user.
This in fact is being posted from galeon Red Hat 7.3 for those who care.

We were discussing password policies during a class on OS security. We were discussing how difficult they should be to remember. As if it's to hard people will write them down, circumventing the policy itself. Then we discussed storing passwd
ords in safes etc. Then the topic of forgotton passwords came up... Users are easy, the admins or roots can take care of it.

As a *N*X user I know a means or two of getting around root. But I don't know jack about how windows works. My prof says NT and up use 128 bit encryption on passwords. That would be a b8tch to crack by brute force. If I knew where the Admin pass was stored could I erase it and leave a blank? Does M$ have a tool they sell with a server kit that can take care of it?

can anyone poitn me in a direction? Really I'd like to take an answer back to my prof.