All of the windows passwords are stored in the form of "Hashes", an encrypted form in the SAM file which is located in"c:\windows\system32\config\" but no one can access, edit , open or read that file while you are using that operating system because Windows lock "SAM" to be accessed while the windows is in ruining.

To see the password SAM file we need other operating system such as Live Os ( Live Os do not requires installation in the system ) which can read the SAM file and give us the passwords in the Understandable language

To do so we can use any of the software listed here :
---------------------------------

1. Ophcarack
2. Offline Password Cracker
3. Hiren Multiboot Disk
---------------------------------
In this article i am going to illustrate only by using "OphCrack" ( for other rests read the upcoming articles )

you need to have OphCrack live cd to perform this operation download it from the given link

download link 1

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

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

Step-1 : Insert OphCrack Live CD and restart the system.

Step-2 : Select "OphCrack graphic Mode ( Auto Mode )"

Step-3 : OphCrack window will open now automatically
             wait for some time (it takes few minutes as processing time ) and you will get the
             windows passwords.