Password protect my computer?

[der]

Is there a way to put a password on my computer so that any user already set up on it, has to have it in order to get on the computer?

[Melodi]

Originally Posted by der

Is there a way to put a password on my computer so that any user already set up on it, has to have it in order to get on the computer?

Hello:
since no one else has responded and I'm sitting here waiting on an email from Dell I thought I would answer. There a few different ways you can do it. I know you've been around this board a lot, but I'm sorry that I'm not familiar with which OS you are using. At the moment I have a Dell that I'm working on for someone (not the same one I"m having the problem with) and it requires a BIOS password which means it won't even boot before I put that password in. I have set that up for a few people.

[der]

Sorry, I didnt see this until now ,, was working on my daughters computer and kind of got lost in that! lol

My computer is an HP pavilion 513n .. and I use Windows XP .... not sure if there is anything else you would need to know.
I am off to bed so will check this tomorrow

[700mb80min]

Originally Posted by Melodi

At the moment I have a Dell that I'm working on for someone (not the same one I"m having the problem with) and it requires a BIOS password which means it won't even boot before I put that password in. I have set that up for a few people.

you can simply get around any bios password by ......wait , is this allowed ? will i be banned ? will mobo take away my mod status ? will the oilers win the playoffs ?

[700mb80min]

Der , as melodi mentioned , you can passwoed protect the bios ( or boot ) , your account on xp , certain files , your desktop and more .

if you want to secure your computer from the get-go a bios password would be the easiest .....[Only Registered and Activated Users Can See Links. Click Here To Register...]

[Melodi]

Originally Posted by 700mb80min

Der , as melodi mentioned , you can passwoed protect the bios ( or boot ) , your account on xp , certain files , your desktop and more .

if you want to secure your computer from the get-go a bios password would be the easiest .....[Only Registered and Activated Users Can See Links. Click Here To Register...]

Yes 700 I know how to get around a bios password, I did it on this computer however, I don't think that your average Joe is going to open the computer and.....

So anyway Der using windows XP you can go into users and set up account easily and I can splane that, or if you want to put a boot password on, I can splane that too

[der]

ok ,, 700 addressed my next question ... I know how to get around a bios password as well ...
There is no other way to password protect your computer that is more secure than that?

[Melodi]

Hello:
If you are on a domain there are better ways but I don't think you are. What you can do is if you are administrator, make the other accounts 'limited' and when you set up your password on the administrator account do not have the 'password hint' available. I'm finding with my clients that their kids are getting in because they have a password hint enabled. Get yourself a good password that is a minimum of 8 characters and is a combination of letters and numbers, put that into place. Depending on who and how you set up your computer if a person was to take it into safe mode, that administrator should also require a password. I find that if I get a computer and it's password protected I can get past it by going into safe mode as administrator then changing the passwords. I have my XP manual here (it's been nearly 3 years since I went for my MCP and at work we use a domain so passwords are kept different) I can check to see what else is available. I do know one of the first things stated in the book is that XP is not very secure. I'm sure once Mobo gets back he'll have other ideas too.

**Well silly me, I just read 700's article and it states just what I did above. XP is not very secure, but it seems to me there was something else in that xp book, I will look

(a little bit later on) Here is a good article
[Only Registered and Activated Users Can See Links. Click Here To Register...]

[Mobo]

Sorry guys. Been away for four days. The answers is password protect the hard drive.

[der]

.... and ..... I do that, how?