Need help in migrating XP security accounts and settings.

[reachrishikh]

That's what!
I doubt it as simple as copying the sam file. I think this was mentioned in Digit a few years ago, that merely copying the sam file does not help, but I think I will give it a try. And I don't think that sam is the only file that needs to be copied in such a case, there must be a others as well. For example, the 'security' file in the same folder. Don't know what it does, or whether it comes into play or not. That's why I need someone intimately familiar with the working of windows user accounts and SAM to help me out.

*edit*
Nope, sam cannot be copied with windows running. I'll try to do it in either safe mode, or I'll use a boot cd to load winpe and try copying sam to a safe location then. Anyway, I'll keep you posted about my experimentations.

 

[iMav]

Well I did *READ* a bit about SAM. This page seems to have all the technical info about SAM and things related to it.

If you see everywhere he has mentioned the registry location of the setting and the explorer file seems to be the SAM file location. It's worth a shot IMHO.

Read from here: *www.beginningtoseethelight.org/ntsecurity/#8603CF0AFBB170DD

 

[dheeraj_kumar]

@reachrishikh

I know a bit about SAM and its working, but I dont know about transferring sam settings. First of all, sam settings are inaccessible to even administrators. Second, folders are locked with the NTLM and LM hashes. When you reinstall, I believe the hashes change. Hence transferring protection wouldnt be possible, I think.

 

[reachrishikh]

Hacking the NTLM hashes in the SAM file using a hex editor is the only option left, if at all I want to accomplish the thing I want, and that is not my 'bas ki baat', so I will drop that, and instead make a list of every folder that has custom permissions set, as well as a list of which user has been set which permission, and manually take ownership and reset the permissions for every one of those folders each time I have to reinstall windows.

iMav, thanks for the link, the page is too large, and I will go through it sometime in 'phursat'.

As for my problem, sometime when I have the free time, I will create a diagram in visio detailing everything so that it will serve as a guidance for anyone else looking to troubleshoot this same issue, and will also help them understand it better.