Re: XP secure during repair?

From: D.Currie (dmbcurrie.nospam_at_hotmail.com)
Date: 07/02/04 

Date: Fri, 2 Jul 2004 12:33:58 -0600

"Mike" <no_reply@please.com> wrote in message
news:cc47n7$3on$1@newsg4.svr.pol.co.uk...
> Burp* wrote:
> > Mike spewed out this bit, and i'll scatter a few bits myself :
> >
> >> XP Home, file system NTFS.
> >>
> >> XP is more secure than 98 but are the login passwords truly secure. I
> >> have 4 passworded accounts - is it true that without the password
> >> these accounts are not accessible. If I take my PC in for hardware
> >> repair is there no way for the technician to access my hardrive and
> >> its data beyond the login screen. No secret admin account or account
> >> entrance that is built in or could they run another OS from the cd
> >> drive such as DOS or Linux and access the drive information that way
> >> or another way I have not considered. I ask this because it just
> >> occurs to me how much private and personal information I have on my
> >> hardrive should it need repair. Thanks.
> >
> > There are programs, and ways to extract your passwords and gain
> > access to your porn.
>
> Thanks for quick response but I was genuine. It is not porn that concerns
me
> so much as notes from my wife and photographs of my children that are very
> personal and my own notes and journal and emails and financial details.
>
> --
> Regards
>
>
I repair computers for a living, and I can tell you that I personally don't
care what's on your computer, and I'm not going to spend my working time
reading your documents. I want to do the repair and get the computer off the
bench as quickly as possible.

On the other hand, there aren't a whole lot of computer repairs I'm going to
be able to do without access to at least one administrator account. If I
install hardware, I'm going to have to install drivers and make sure it
works. If it's a software problem, then I'm sure I'm going to have to access
an account, and after that, I need to access the problematic program. So,
yes, if you say you can't read your email, I need access to your email
account, and I'm going to open a couple of emails. But even at that, I try
to avoid actually reading the content. I open them to see that they do open,
then I move on. I don't care what spam you get, or what Aunt Sally's goiter
is up to these days.

Even if it's something like a power supply replacement, it's nice to be able
to get into Windows and make sure nothing else got fried in the meantime.
Otherwise I'm going to get a call that says, "Now my modem doesn't work!" or
something like that.

If you don't give me access to an account, and I need it, either I'm going
to call and ask for the password, or I'm going to get in another way so I
can finish the repair. I'd tell you that I got into the computer, though.
It's not like I'm sneaking around. Most people leave their computers so
unsecured that it's simple to get in without resorting anything fancy.

Of course, the curiousness of the repair folks is going to depend on who
they are. If you take the computer to a shop where there are a dozen teenage
guys who get paid by the hour, they might be interested in what music you
have or what photos. I doubt anyone cares to read your tax documents unless
they know you and want to see if you really can afford that BMW. Otherwise,
it's irrelevant data. "Some guy who brought his computer in made $45 thou
last year!" Unless they know you, who cares?

If you have things that you don't want other people to see, your best bet is
to keep them off of your computer. Put them on CDs or a removable/external
drive. Then you don't need to worry about taking the computer for repairs.
Then you just need to worry about security issues when the computer is in
your house.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: XP secure during repair?
    ... >> emails and financial details. ... I want to do the repair and get ... > going to have to access an account, and after that, I need to access ... > don't care what spam you get, or what Aunt Sally's goiter is up to ...
    (alt.computer.security)
  • Re: XP secure during repair?
    ... account or account entrance that is built in or could they run ... personal information I have on my hardrive should it need repair. ... and ways to extract your passwords and gain ... || don't care what spam you get, or what Aunt Sally's goiter is up to ...
    (alt.computer.security)
  • Re: XP secure during repair?
    ... >>personal and my own notes and journal and emails and financial details. ... I want to do the repair and get the computer off the ... > an account, and after that, I need to access the problematic program. ... I don't care what spam you get, ...
    (alt.computer.security)
  • Re: Program Errors
    ... Online Virus Scan. ... then a "repair install". ... Account, creating another Administrator account for backup in case your ... > closing and coming up with the Program Error Message. ...
    (microsoft.public.win2000.general)
  • Re: Blue Screen with no log-in information
    ... If you have to use the hidden machine administrator account do so, ... Once Windows starts loading, you've missed it and will have ... Assuming your system is set to boot from the CD-ROM drive, ... To Repair a Windows XP Installation using Recovery Console press R. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.accessibility)
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