SAM FILE

[wick1]

I have a test box that i want to put a different SAM file on. I can't move/copy the sam file if it is use. How do i boot the pc so that i can copy a new sam file to the hard drive?

 

[jrbarnett]

You need to use a Win95 OSR2 or Win98 FAT32 bootdisk or CD, and if you use NTFS format drives, which is quite likely on a server, a piece of software called NTFS Pro from

http://www.sysinternals.com

to allow you to read/write NTFS format drives in DOS. They do produce a free version, but that gives read only access.
You can then navigate around the hard drive and copy the old SAM file and replace it with the new one.

Be aware though that a SAM file contains more than just user accounts, it includes access rights and other system configuration information, so it may have other consequences you hadn't thought of when you copy it on.

John

 

[wolluf]

slave drive in another machine?
If you've got copy of 2k or Xp install CD, you can run their recovery console with an NT installation (SAM file is under \winnt, which is acessible from recovery console - so put the replacement on floppy, backup orignal, and copy floppy to hard drive).

 

[jrbarnett]

More specifically, the SAM file is in \WINNT\System32\Config\SAM under NT4.0 (and Win2K as well).

John

 

[wick1]

Thanks... that is what i needed!