The Security Identifier (SID) is a unique identifier assigned to users, groups, and computer accounts in the Windows operating system. It is used by the Windows security subsystem to manage access and permissions for various resources. PsGetSid is a command-line utility from Microsoft’s Sysinternals Suite that allows you to display the SID for a user or a computer.
In this guide, we will demonstrate how to check the Windows SID using PsGetSid.
Step 1: Download PsGetSid
To begin, you need to download PsGetSid from the Sysinternals Suite, which is provided by Microsoft. Visit the Sysinternals Suite download page:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/sysinternals-suite
Click on the “Download Sysinternals Suite” link and save the ZIP file to your computer.
Step 2: Extract PsGetSid
After downloading the Sysinternals Suite, extract the contents of the ZIP file to a folder. For this guide, we’ll assume that you have extracted the contents to the “C:\SysinternalsSuite” folder.
Step 3: Open Command Prompt
Press Win + R to open the Run dialog, then type cmd and press Enter to launch the Command Prompt.
Step 4: Navigate to the PsGetSid Directory
In the Command Prompt, navigate to the folder where you extracted the Sysinternals Suite:
cd C:\SysinternalsSuite
Step 5: Check the SID for the Local Computer
To display the SID for the local computer, run the following command:
PsGetSid.exe
The output will display the SID for your computer.
Step 6: Check the SID for a Specific User
To check the SID for a specific user, use the following command:
PsGetSid.exe DOMAIN\username
Replace “DOMAIN” with the domain name or the local computer name, and “username” with the user account you want to check. The output will display the SID for the specified user account.
Commands Mentioned:
- cd – Changes the current directory in the Command Prompt
- PsGetSid.exe – Displays the SID for the local computer
- PsGetSid.exe DOMAIN\username – Displays the SID for a specific user
Conclusion
By following this guide, you have learned how to use the PsGetSid utility to check the Windows SID for both local computers and specific user accounts. This information can be helpful for managing access permissions, troubleshooting security issues, and tracking user or system changes. Keep in mind that PsGetSid is just one of many useful tools available in Microsoft’s Sysinternals Suite, which contains a wide range of utilities for diagnosing and troubleshooting various aspects of the Windows operating system.
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