Re: Help Me Understand User Accounts

Many thanks to both respondents. I will study this advice carefully. It's a
lot to absorb and I'll be sure I understand what I'm doing before
proceeding.
"Nepatsfan" <nepatsfan@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:%23jLx9xLdIHA.4744@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
JD,

First off, let's keep one thing in mind. While using a limited account has
its advantages, it's no guarantee that your computer won't be compromised
by some type of malware. The most important part of computer security is
the actions of the person seated in front of the screen. Another thing to
keep in mind is that some programs will only run under an administrative
account.

As for how to set up your system so that you're using a limited account,
the advice you've been given is approaching this issue from the wrong
direction. Here's an easier solution; create a new administrator account
and demote the Owner account.

Go to Control Panel and double click User Accounts.
Under Pick a Task, click on Create a new account.
Name this account whatever you want. Admin would be my choice.
Click Next and leave the default setting of Computer Administrator
selected.
Hit Create Account.
Back at the first User Accounts screen, click on the icon for the new
account.
Click on Create a password and follow the instructions on the next page to
password protect this account.
Note: Try to use a password and hint that's easy to remember but hard to
guess. Since you won't be using this account often, it's important that
you don't forget the password.
Close User Accounts and log off from the Owner account.
Log on with the Admin account.
Once you're logged on as Admin, go to Control Panel and double click User
Accounts.
Click on the icon for the Owner account.
If you don't have one already, click on Create a password and follow the
instructions to password protect this account.
Back at the Owner account screen, click on Change the account type.
Select Limited and hit the Change account type button.
Close User Accounts and log off from the Admin account.
Log back on to the Owner account.

Test to see if you can still run all of your programs. You should still
have access to all your files and email messages. If you find that there
are issues that make running with a limited account difficult, log on with
the Admin account and elevate your Owner account to Computer Administrator
using the same procedure outlined above.

Now, let's move on to other issues. First, every XP system has a built-in
account named Administrator. This account is usually hidden. Hidden or
not, it should have a password. There are a number of ways to do this.
Here's one;

Log on with the Admin account.
Go to Start -> Run and enter the following in the Open box.

control userpasswords2

This should open the alternate User Accounts applet.
There should be a check mark in the box next to "Users must enter a user
name and password to use this computer".
In the Users for this computer box, click on Administrator.
In the Password for Administrator, click on the Reset Password button.
Once again, enter a password that's easy to remember but hard to guess.
Close User Accounts.

You should log on at least once to the Administrator account to test the
password. How you log on to the Administrator account depends on what
version of XP you have installed on your computer.

For XP Home Edition

To logon with the built-in Administrator account in XP Home Edition you
have to restart the computer and boot into Safe Mode.
To start in Safe Mode, reboot your computer and start tapping the F8 key
as soon as you see anything displayed
on the screen.
Keep hitting F8 until the Advanced Startup Options menu appears.
Use the up and down arrow keys on your keyboard to select Safe Mode.
Hit Enter.
Click on the Administrator icon.
Enter the password you just created.

For XP Professional

Log off from the computer.
If the Welcome screen is displayed, hit the Ctrl + Alt + Del key
combination twice.
This should bring up the Log on to Windows dialog.
Enter Administrator in the User Name box.

As for your stepson and your wife's students, I'd pass on using the Guest
account. Instead I'd create a limited user account for your stepson and
another one for the students. As for restricting what they can do on the
computer, you might want to investigate this program from Microsoft.

Windows SteadyState
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/sharedaccess/default.mspx

Keep in mind that this program should be installed before you create
accounts for your stepson and the students.

Good luck

Nepatsfan


"JD" <Erehwon@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:%23bpOAxEdIHA.4488@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Here's what I read in a recent letter from MS:
"Limited User accounts can protect your Windows XP computer when you
browse the Web. If you work in a Limited User account, you might be able
to decrease the effect of a virus or other malicious software. But if the
attack happens while you're in an Administrator account, the attacker can
gain full access to your computer and the results can range from annoying
to catastrophic. Administrator accounts are the default type of account
for Windows XP.
A Limited User account lets you use most of the capabilities of the
computer, but only an Administrator can make changes that affect other
users of the computer. For example, in a Limited User account, you can
use:
. Web browsers and e-mail programs
. Productivity programs such as Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and
Microsoft PowerPoint
. Entertainment programs that let you play music and video, edit
photographs, and much more
Note: You can also create a Guest account, which has most of the
functions of a Limited User account but it is not password-protected, so
a guest user can quickly log on and off again to perform simple tasks,
such as checking e-mail or browsing the Internet."

I wrote earlier that we were using the Administrator account. I stand
corrected. We are using the default "Owner" account. But it has
administrator rights.
I take it that I should create a "limited user" account for everyday
purposes. Then switch to the existing "Owner" account to perform periodic
tune-up functions--virus scans, disk cleanup, defrag, etc. Is that
correct?
How do I create such an account? Can I decide what functions I wish to
allow to this account? Is the Guest account a "limited user" account?

"JD" <Erehwon@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:%23KmoCmDdIHA.3940@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
My wife and I have been using the default Administrator account, without
a password, for years. I've been advised to create a "user account," and
only log on as administrator to do weekly maintenance chores.
If I were to create a user account and call it "Family," would it have a
blank desktop? Would we be able to download music files? Access all of
our existing files?
Use Outlook Express to send and recieve e-mail? Access the Internet--and
save Favorites?
I'm unsure of how to proceed. Place a password on the Administrator
account? Ditto on any new user accounts created?
What about the default Guest account? My stepson visits several times a
year and uses the computer for many hours. If he were to use the Guest
account, would he be able to recieve and send documents as e-mail
attachements. Save documents to the hard drive? Access the Internet?
My wife sometimes lets her students use the computer. How would I go
about "restricting" access to Internet sites for them, but not for us?








.

Quantcast