Windows stores user passwords in the Security Accounts Manager database (SAM), or in the Active Directory database in domains. Passwords are never stored in clear text; passwords are hashed and the…

Windows stores user passwords in the Security Accounts Manager database (SAM), or in the Active Directory database in domains. Passwords are never stored in clear text; passwords are hashed and the results are stored in the SAM. NTLM and LM authentication protocols are used to securely store a user's password in the SAM database using different hashing methods. The SAM file in Windows Server 2008 is located in which of the following locations?