SAM File Windows 2000

[j1500]

From what I'm understanding, if I copy the SAM files from one computer to another computer the user names and passwords will transfer over without problem?

I think I may be missing some steps.

This in involves Windows 2000 with local user accounts and groups. I want to preserve these accounts to a new server without having to recreate them.

On the new server when I boot into safe mode I can simply replace the SAM files and I will be able to login to the server with the user names and passwords from the old server?

Please advise if I missing something to make this work. I thought this file would be independent to each system and could not be transferred.

Thank you!

 

[ITPangaeaArchitect]

i dont think this is possible...

the SAMs gotta stay local. The information inside is secured using the servers internally known info in conjucntion with the users internally known info. If you moved the SAM database over, the server would have no idea what the hell it was, because it has a different SID internal to the sam db than the system is assigned...complete authentication failure would be the result...


if the old server is going away however (whether that be decommed, or reloaded with a fresh OS), you could take a system state and system drive (windows dir mainly) of the old system, then restore it to the new. That would give the new server the same SID as the old server, however, you would break things if you do not immediately power the old box down...


-Brandon Wilson
MCSE00/03, MCSA:Messaging00, MCSA03, A+
Manager - Global AD Operations
ACS, Inc.