How to Kid-proof a machine?

[clintonG]

I should know this but don't do much desktop OS support these
days. My sister has a two Dells. An old one that has been subjected
to family (ab)use where two teenagers have had their way downloading
and using IM and a new machine that the parents would like to keep
kid-proof, i.e. no access while maintaining parental control for
both machines.

I'm thinking of a cross-over cable to network the two machines and
wonder if there is a way to lock down the new machine so the kids
can not log in to install or operate any applications and be prevented
from file system access to the parents machine.

How can I help her out?

--
<%= Clinton Gallagher
A/E/C Consulting, Web Design, e-Commerce Software Development
Wauwatosa, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin USA
NET (e-mail address removed)
URL http://www.metromilwaukee.com/clintongallagher/

 

[Guest]

Password the user account and buy a parental control software
----- clintonG wrote: -----

I should know this but don't do much desktop OS support these
days. My sister has a two Dells. An old one that has been subjected
to family (ab)use where two teenagers have had their way downloading
and using IM and a new machine that the parents would like to keep
kid-proof, i.e. no access while maintaining parental control for
both machines.

I'm thinking of a cross-over cable to network the two machines and
wonder if there is a way to lock down the new machine so the kids
can not log in to install or operate any applications and be prevented
from file system access to the parents machine.

How can I help her out?

--
<%= Clinton Gallagher
A/E/C Consulting, Web Design, e-Commerce Software Development
Wauwatosa, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin USA
NET (e-mail address removed)
URL http://www.metromilwaukee.com/clintongallagher/

 

[Kent W. England [MVP]]

I should know this but don't do much desktop OS support these
days. My sister has a two Dells. An old one that has been subjected
to family (ab)use where two teenagers have had their way downloading
and using IM and a new machine that the parents would like to keep
kid-proof, i.e. no access while maintaining parental control for
both machines.

I'm thinking of a cross-over cable to network the two machines and
wonder if there is a way to lock down the new machine so the kids
can not log in to install or operate any applications and be prevented
from file system access to the parents machine.

How can I help her out?

Create accounts for the parents on the new XP machine and don't create
any accounts for the kids. Password protect the parent accounts and the
kids won't be able to access the console. Use the screensaver password
feature to avoid letting the kids access either account when it is left
running.

If you want to share documents, enable simple file sharing and put
shared documents in the Shared Documents folder. The kids will be able
to access these, but no others.

Connect the two with a cross over cable and enable Internet Connection
Sharing to allow the older computer to access the Internet via the XP
machine. (You need two adapters on the XP machine, one for Internet and
one for the other computer.)