The biggest difference is that only the Enterprise and Professional editions can recover passwords. There are three editions of this tool: Standard ($19.95 USD), Professional ($29.95 USD), and Enterprise ($49.95 USD). Windows Key 4: Windows Password Unlocker Windows Password Unlocker ( Figure D) also creates a USB or CD that can then be booted to recover passwords. Although Windows Key has a free trial, you'll have to pony up for the full version (Standard $39.00 USD, Enterprise $295.00 USD) before you can really recover any passwords. It's simple to use, and it can reset both local (standard version) and domain admin account (Enterprise edition only) passwords. Windows Key creates a bootable CD (or USB device) you can use to boot the machine and recover the password. This is different from the other tools, in that it doesn't recover a list of user passwords or even recover from a file. Ophcrack 3: Windows Key Windows Key ( Figure C) can reset your Windows password for you. It cracks LM and NTLM hashes has free tables for XP, Vista, and 7 includes a brute-force module for simple passwords offers an audit mode and a CSV export presents real-time graphs has a LiveCD for easier (and more efficient) recovery and dumps and loads hashes from encrypted SAM. Ophcrack runs on Windows, Linux/UNIX, and Mac. Ophcrack uses a solid implementation of rainbow tables that just happens to have been done by those who created the method. It's free (open source as well), cross platform, and very reliable. LCP 2: Ophcrack Ophcrack ( Figure B) is one of the most popular password recovery tools. As with many of these applications, you should avoid using your machine while LCP recovers passwords, as it will consume the majority of your machine resources for the crack. LC file, LCS file, PwDump file, and Sniff file. LCP allows you to import from a local computer, remote computer, SAM file. This tool can recover using a dictionary attack, brute force attack, or a hybrid dictionary/brute force attack. 1: LCP LCP ( Figure A) is a user-account password recovery tool for Windows NT/2000/XP/2003. Note: This list is also available as a photo gallery. I say 'free' because in some cases there are tables that must be purchased (such as rainbow tables) to break some types of passwords. Let's take a look at five 'free' password recovery tools. Would you want to have to reinstall? Not on your life! In such a tricky situation, a password recovery tool may be your only recourse. Imagine losing your Windows Server administrator password and not having the means to retrieve it. But in certain situations, these tools wind up being the last ditch effort that can save you from having to go as far as reinstalling the operating system. You have a tool that can, in some cases, crack passwords on machines. Many people take a dim view of password recovery tools for ethical reasons - understandably so.

Isumsoft password recovery tools