I sometimes see those "Hack any Windows password" videos on the sidebar of YouTube and I've always thought they would be nonsense, or some link to download a suspect .exe that claimed to do it for you. Well out of curiosity I just watched one and couldn't believe how simple it was. Not the kind of thing that many people are going to happen upon on their own, but a few short steps nonetheless. Just a matter of powering off at the right moment, going through the "repair" process on relaunch, and through this gaining access to the file system whereupon you can rename a couple of Windows files, type a command in CMD and voila, you're in! The back door is basically Windows giving you access to a file picker to save some "terms & conditions" text file or other. With this glaring insecurity you can thus rename the appropriate files. 
 
Jeez I never thought that my Windows password was 100% foolproof, but I did perhaps think that it would at least be a little difficult to hack it. I never knew it was something so easy that a 10 year old kid (even a non-nerdy one) could do it.

sharke,
 
Give me your TeamViewer ID and I'll see if can prove the process.

Only if you give me your ratemypoo.com password!

Passwords are so passe.  I use mutant DNA matching.

Yes, the Windows account passwords have had downloadable cracking programs available forever. About the only thing MS has come up with that offers any significant security is Bitlocker applied to the whole drive. 

Hi,
 
And my understanding is that Bitblocker is way more effective. With one problem ... if you have everything on that hard drive, have a heart attack, and then upon recovering, you have no idea your password is, you realize that it's all lost, right?
 
I work in a different context ... my writing is out there, with the exception of the stuff I am working on, so "hiding it" is nuts, and more of a hassle than it needs to be. Might as well go back to the old typewriter, and then hide the 140 pages.
 
I do happen to have a copy of most of my writing so I can send it to the Library of Congress, for Copyright purposes. But, in general, when it comes to Windows for me ... what you gonna find? More music porn?
 
I guess someone is looking for some _______________________________ or other ... ? And the more you "secure" it, the more obvious it is that something is going on?

I just want to make sure that my suitcase-size quantum cold fission generator plans don't get out until I can patent them.  The same applies to my scrambled eggs recipe.