|
|||||||
![]() |
|
|
LinkBack | Thread Tools | Search this Thread | Rate Thread | Display Modes |
|
|
#1 |
|
Member (10 bit)
|
Completely password protect XP desktop?
hey guys I looked and could'nt find much help on this so here's my problem.
My sister has a new Dell with XP on it and she wants to totally lock everyone but herself out of it, her kids are the problem here. here last 98 machine I had here put a P.O.P. on it. and that did the trick. I'm not to familar with XP so Any advice ? Thanks ! Don |
|
|
|
|
|
#2 |
|
HOT ROD
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: On the Edge
Posts: 4,565
|
Disable "Fast user switching" and set passwords for every account or delete the other user accounts except hers. Then she can lock the PC by hitting the windows key + L and it will lock the desktop.
__________________
Fast enough 2 get by.....old enough 2 know what not 2 try -You know it was me
|
|
|
|
|
|
#3 | |
|
Premium Member
Join Date: Jun 1999
Posts: 9,231
|
Quote:
There is no reason to disable fast user switching at all .. simply enable passwords on all accounts and enable the welcome screen; it will ask for a pwd everytime someone needs to log in .. her kids may or may not have a pwd it doesnt matter .. as long as she has a pwd |
|
|
|
|
|
|
#4 |
|
HOT ROD
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: On the Edge
Posts: 4,565
|
Yeah, but if she needs to leave the room for a few moments it's very easy to hit the win key +L and lock the desktop.
|
|
|
|
|
|
#5 |
|
Premium Member
Join Date: Jun 1999
Posts: 9,231
|
I still dont see why you would advice someone to disable Fast Switching and crippling functionality when all that is needed is a password on the account unless there is a vulnerability in Fast user switching that allows unauthorized access to a password protected user account, that I just havent seen.
|
|
|
|
|
|
#6 |
|
HOT ROD
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: On the Edge
Posts: 4,565
|
With me it is ease of use, and her being a mom she may have to be called away from the PC and with the quick lock option it's a nice feature.
|
|
|
|
|
|
#7 |
|
Premium Member
Join Date: Jun 1999
Posts: 9,231
|
Ok this is perhaps material for another thread but just to clarify, the Winkey+L desktop lock is a feature that does NOT get disabled with fast user switching. Fast user switching is the equivalent of the *NIX virtual terminal feature, whereby multiple users can utilize the computer through different accounts mutually exclusive of the application space occupied by the other user.
If user A wants to get a snack hitting Winkey+L will lock out the desktop without logging out.. but will let user B (iff there is a user B configured) use the computer. If fast user switching was disabled then user B cannot use the computer. |
|
|
|
|
|
#8 |
|
HOT ROD
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: On the Edge
Posts: 4,565
|
That is my point, if she happened to be in the middle of some important work and didn't save her work, then one of the kids logs on and starts playing and the system happened to crash would her unsaved data be in tack? With the quick lock option it will be better in ensuring that the system will be as she left it.
Last edited by lil Jimmie; 10-24-2002 at 09:02 PM. |
|
|
|
|
|
#9 |
|
HOT ROD
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: On the Edge
Posts: 4,565
|
Forgive me if I took this a bit too far Statica, but Don did ask "How too completely password protect a XP desktop?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
#10 |
|
Member (10 bit)
|
thanks for the quick reply guys, I'm going to be helping her via long distance, and her kids are 17-22 and they already tried today to boot it up but she took the power cord to work with her LOL. So they are not rocket scientists. Which would be the easist method ? I doubt she will leave it turned on unattended they have crashed the past two machines they won't get to play with this one.
T I A again Don |
|
|
|
|
|
#11 |
|
HOCKEY FREAK
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: philadelphia pa
Posts: 1,078
|
I would say do what Lil Jimmie said execpt for "disabling the fast user option,if they aren't rocket scientistsyou should be fine.
Zaney123 |
|
|
|
|
|
#12 |
|
HOT ROD
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: On the Edge
Posts: 4,565
|
In that case just assign passwords for all accounts and give the kids a limited account. If she needs tighter security disable the fast user switching.
|
|
|
|
|
|
#13 | |
|
Member (10 bit)
|
Quote:
Sorry if I wasn't clear on that. Don |
|
|
|
|
|
|
#14 |
|
HOT ROD
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: On the Edge
Posts: 4,565
|
Then only create ONE account (hers) and then set a password on that account. Then make sure the guest account is disabled.
|
|
|
|
|
|
#15 |
|
Member (10 bit)
|
Ok thats kinda what I thought, but after reading the MS website and being unfamiler with XP...well you know the rest
Thanks again guys ! Don |
|
|
|
|
|
#16 |
|
Forum Administrator
Staff
Premium Member
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Joplin MO
Posts: 37,786
|
Make sure the Administrator account is strongly passworded too!
|
|
|
|
|
|
#17 |
|
Member (10 bit)
|
Thanks for your help,we got her set up the way she wants and she spent about 30 mins trying to get on without a password or wrong password and is confident this will do the trick. Now I want to go and get XP after this experiance
![]() Don |
|
|
|
|
|
#18 |
|
Professional gadfly
|
One thing you may want to have her try is to boot to Safe mode and try to log in as the Administrator. Too often, people don't remember to set an Administrator password, as glc said.
|
|
|
|
|
|
#19 |
|
Member (10 bit)
|
Ok dor G I will have her do that tonight when she gets home Thanks again !
|
|
|
|
![]() |
| Bookmarks |
| Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
| Display Modes | Rate This Thread |
|
|