Re: SAM - Security Account Manager - what is it? and how would I know if it's corrupt?

From: Bill Stewart (bstewart@iname.no_spam.com)
Date: 07/09/02 

From: "Bill Stewart" <bstewart@iname.no_spam.com>
Date: Tue, 9 Jul 2002 14:15:51 -0600

"Tom Eselin" <teselin@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:2f828e61.0207091108.58a41da1@posting.google.com...

> I have a win2k advanced server box that has begun to crawl. My boss tends to
> think we have a corrupt SAM. I hadn't heard of SAM until he brought it up.
> Can someone shed some light for me? Also, does anyone have a good online
> source of info on SAM?

SAM = "security account manager." It's a database file that contains users,
groups, user rights, trusts, etc. An NT 4.0 domain is simply a shared SAM where
the PDC (primary domain controller) has the master copy and the BDCs (backup
domain controllers, if any) contain replicas. AD (Active Directory) domain
controllers don't use a SAM, as the data that used to be stored in the SAM is
now a part of the directory. NT 5 (Windows 2000) servers that are not domain
controllers still use a SAM.

Relevant Pages

  • W2K DC Rplction prob
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    (microsoft.public.win2000.active_directory)
  • Exporting RC4-HMAC Key for Keytabs
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  • Re: create a domain
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  • Re: Server Crashes after SP1 install "Non-DLL file included in KnownDLL list" (Blue Screen)
    ... Mine is a domain controller. ... I got as far, in your instructions, as: ... Copy sam.old sam ... Copy security.old security ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.server.setup)
  • Re: Domain Controllers
    ... When you originally set up your domain it was allocated a SAM. ... >server and re-install the software, active directory, domain controller, ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.server.setup)