Re: administrator screen
- From: Ted Zieglar <teddy.z@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 28 Sep 2006 12:59:56 -0400
Reading between the lines I think I understand what you're referring to.
Windows XP works on the basis of accounts, not unlike a bank. Every customer of a bank has to have an account with the bank, and every user of XP has to have an account with XP.
Just as there are different types of bank accounts, that allow you to perform different types of transactions with the bank, there are different types of XP account, that allow you to perform different types of work on the computer.
In XP, accounts are differentiated by their 'permissions', i.e., how much access they have to the inner workings of the operating system. At the top of the heap is the Administrator account, which has unrestricted access to all functions and capabilities of Windows. Below the Administrator account are other accounts that have fewer permissions, so they have less access to the operating system.
What your brother-in-law explained is a well-known rule of safe computing: don't do your everyday computing through an Administrator account. If a virus or some other malicious software sneaks into your computer through an Administrator account, the software will have the ability to take complete control of your computer. But if the software manages to sneak in through an account with fewer permissions, it will have considerably less power over your computer.
XP can be setup to log you into your account without stopping to ask for your password. By itself, this is not a good idea. You should always take those extra seconds to enter your password. Otherwise, anyone with access to your computer -- including Mr. Virus -- can access your account without knowing your password.
Here's what I think is happening: Even though you setup a Limited User account for yourself, XP is automatically logging you into your Administrator account. You need to stop that.
Click Start, and then click Run. In the Open box, type:
control userpasswords2
and then click OK. In the dialog box that appears, enable Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer check box, and then click OK.
---
Ted Zieglar
"Backup is a computer user's best friend."
joan1437 wrote:
I have windows xp professional . very new on the computer.My problem is every time i turn on or restart my computer the admin. screen comes up. so my brother in law tells me this screen should only come up in safe mode. he tried to fix this but was at a lost. so he made me another screen name and that is the one i use all the time. but like i said every time i turn on my computer i have to log off administrator or switch to the other user he made me. because he said i should never go on the internet with this admin. screen. i can not delete this user because it is the main administrator name on my computer. does anyone know how to fix this thank you.
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