Where are 'Passwords' Stored

M

Mike Fox

I've worked hard a keeping my 'Passwords' off my computer by always
saying no when asked "Do you want to save your password?". Well, a
couple slipped by, and my password magically appears when I log on to
some sites.

Could someone tell me where to find the stored passwords and how to
eliminate them?

I running Win XP Pro with all updates.

Thanks

Mike
 
C

Carey Frisch [MVP]

Launch Internet Explorer and from the Toolbar select:
Tools > Internet Options > Content > AutoComplete
and click on "Clear Passwords".

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User
Microsoft Newsgroups

Get Windows XP Service Pack 2 with Advanced Security Technologies:
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/windowsxp/choose.mspx

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

:

| I've worked hard a keeping my 'Passwords' off my computer by always
| saying no when asked "Do you want to save your password?". Well, a
| couple slipped by, and my password magically appears when I log on to
| some sites.
|
| Could someone tell me where to find the stored passwords and how to
| eliminate them?
|
| I running Win XP Pro with all updates.
|
| Thanks
|
| Mike
 
W

Wesley Vogel

If XP Pro...

Start | Run | Type:

control userpasswords2

Click OK | Advanced tab | Manage Passwords button |
You can Add, Remove or Change the password info

If XP Home...

Start | Run | Type:

control userpasswords

Click OK | select the logged-on user account |
Manage my network passwords |
You can Add, Remove or Change the password info

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
M

Mike Fox

Never saw that one before. It's a good one!

Another suggestions was: Launch Internet Explorer and from the Toolbar
select: Tools > Internet Options > Content > AutoComplete and click on
"Clear Passwords". Does this access the same folder-only from a
different angle.

Also, how about: Documents and Settings\<username>\App
Data\Microsoft\Credentials\<SID>\Credentials


Mike
 
G

Gerhard Fiedler

If XP Pro...

Start | Run | Type:

control userpasswords2

Click OK | Advanced tab | Manage Passwords button |

I've never seen that, and wanted to see what's in there...

But when I click that button, I get an error message with the title
"%windir%\system32\rundll32.exe" and the text "Windows cannot find
'%windir%\system32\rundll32.exe'. Make sure you typed the name correctly,
and then try again. To search for a file, click the Start button, and then
click Search."

Yet when I type "%windir%\system32\" in the Start|Run box, an Explorer
window to the C:\Windows\system32 directory opens, and it has of course a
file rundll32.exe.

Does anybody know what's wrong here?

Thanks,
Gerhard
 
W

Wesley Vogel

Gerhard,

Try this...

To open Stored Usernames and Passwords.
Start | Run | Type or Pase: control keymgr.dll | Click OK

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
W

Wesley Vogel

Mike,

This works quicker to open Stored Usernames and Passwords.
Start | Run | Type or Paste: control keymgr.dll | Click OK

No.
Tools | Internet Options | Content | AutoComplete | Clear Passwords button
[[Clears your History folder of all username and password entries you've
previously made in Web pages. This ensures that nobody else can use your
computer and attempt to view any private information you've previously
entered, by viewing what entries are listed by AutoComplete.]]

Clears this folder of the of all username and password entries you've
previously made in Web pages.
%USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\History
or
C:\Documents and Settings\Your Name Here\Local Settings\History
----

%appdata%\Microsoft\Credentials\{SID}\Credentials

Beats me what's in this file. Kelly will have to let you know.
----

Some passwords are stored in the registry...
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Protected Storage System Provider\SID #
Seems to be Outlook, Outlook Express, Internet Explorer (AutoComplete
passwords and Password-protected sites) maybe more.
---

Some interesting reading...

Behavior of stored user names and passwords
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/281660/EN-US/

How To Manage Stored User Names and Passwords on a Computer That Is Not in a
Domain in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/306541/EN-US/

How To Manage Stored User Names and Passwords on a Computer in a Domain in
Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;306992

How to remove the stored password for a Network Place
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/nwpassword.htm

Protected Storage - Save Password, AutoComplete issues
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/ProtectedStorage.htm

OLEXP: Your Outlook Express Password Is Not Retained in Windows 2000 or XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q264672

---
Password Finders...

Protected Storage PassView v1.60
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/pspv.html

RockXP 2.0
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4138.html


--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
G

Gerhard Fiedler

Try this...

To open Stored Usernames and Passwords.
Start | Run | Type or Pase: control keymgr.dll | Click OK

Very cool! Thanks a lot.

Gerhard
 
W

Wesley Vogel

Keep having fun.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
Mike Fox said:
Thanks for the help.

Mike

Mike,

This works quicker to open Stored Usernames and Passwords.
Start | Run | Type or Paste: control keymgr.dll | Click OK

No.
Tools | Internet Options | Content | AutoComplete | Clear Passwords
button [[Clears your History folder of all username and password entries
you've previously made in Web pages. This ensures that nobody else can
use your computer and attempt to view any private information you've
previously entered, by viewing what entries are listed by AutoComplete.]]

Clears this folder of the of all username and password entries you've
previously made in Web pages.
%USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\History
or
C:\Documents and Settings\Your Name Here\Local Settings\History
----

%appdata%\Microsoft\Credentials\{SID}\Credentials

Beats me what's in this file. Kelly will have to let you know.
----

Some passwords are stored in the registry...
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Protected Storage System
Provider\SID # Seems to be Outlook, Outlook Express, Internet Explorer
(AutoComplete passwords and Password-protected sites) maybe more.
---

Some interesting reading...

Behavior of stored user names and passwords
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/281660/EN-US/

How To Manage Stored User Names and Passwords on a Computer That Is Not
in a Domain in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/306541/EN-US/

How To Manage Stored User Names and Passwords on a Computer in a Domain
in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;306992

How to remove the stored password for a Network Place
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/nwpassword.htm

Protected Storage - Save Password, AutoComplete issues
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/ProtectedStorage.htm

OLEXP: Your Outlook Express Password Is Not Retained in Windows 2000 or
XP http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q264672

---
Password Finders...

Protected Storage PassView v1.60
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/pspv.html

RockXP 2.0
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4138.html
 

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