Windows Vista Home Premium & Admin account

[Justin]

Since the Power User isn't available in Vista Home I wold ike to make
the main user a standard user. I have the admin account enabled, but I
would like it to be visiblle on the login screen.
The laptop is for a cousin going off to college. I will give him the
admin password, but he'll be instructed to use the normal account except
when he installs stuff.
I want to set the machine up so he has the easy login screen with
Administrator and his name as the two choices.
How can I get the admin account to show up there?

 

[Malke]

Since the Power User isn't available in Vista Home I wold ike to make
the main user a standard user. I have the admin account enabled, but I
would like it to be visiblle on the login screen.
The laptop is for a cousin going off to college. I will give him the
admin password, but he'll be instructed to use the normal account except
when he installs stuff.
I want to set the machine up so he has the easy login screen with
Administrator and his name as the two choices.
How can I get the admin account to show up there?

Bad idea to enable the built-in Administrator (which will show up on the
Welcome Screen if enabled). You want his security to be good, not open
especially since he's going away to school. Here is my standard response:

General Recommendations For Setting Up Users In Vista:

You absolutely do not want to have only one user account. Like XP and all
other modern operating systems, Vista is a multi-user operating system with
built-in system accounts such as Administrator, Default, All Users, and
Guest. These accounts should be left alone as they are part of the operating
system structure.

You particularly don't want only one user account with administrative
privileges on Vista because the built-in Administrator account (normally
only used in emergencies) is disabled by default. If you're running as
Administrator for your daily work and that account gets corrupted, things
will be Difficult. It isn't impossible to activate the built-in Administrator
to rescue things, but it will require third-party tools and working outside
the operating system.

The user account that is for your daily work should be a Standard user, with
the extra administrative user (call it something like "CompAdmin" or "Tech"
or the like) only there for elevation purposes. After you create
"CompAdmin", log into it and change your regular user account to Standard.
Then log back into your regular account.

If you want to go directly to the Desktop and skip the Welcome Screen with
the icons of user accounts, you can do this:

Start Orb>Search box>type: netplwiz [enter]
Click on Continue (or supply an administrator's password) when prompted by
UAC

Uncheck the option "Users must enter a user name and password to use this
computer". Select a user account to automatically log on by clicking on the
desired account to highlight it and then hit OK. Enter the correct password
for that user account (if there is one) when prompted. Leave it blank if
there is no password (null).

Malke

 

[Justin]

Bad idea to enable the built-in Administrator (which will show up on the
Welcome Screen if enabled). You want his security to be good, not open
especially since he's going away to school. Here is my standard response:

General Recommendations For Setting Up Users In Vista:

You absolutely do not want to have only one user account. Like XP and all
other modern operating systems, Vista is a multi-user operating system with
built-in system accounts such as Administrator, Default, All Users, and
Guest. These accounts should be left alone as they are part of the operating
system structure.

Makes sense.
I let people run at Power users when I set up a Vista Ultimate machine,
but the admin account is generally not accessible to normal users.

You particularly don't want only one user account with administrative
privileges on Vista because the built-in Administrator account (normally
only used in emergencies) is disabled by default. If you're running as
Administrator for your daily work and that account gets corrupted, things
will be Difficult. It isn't impossible to activate the built-in Administrator
to rescue things, but it will require third-party tools and working outside
the operating system.

I'm still not sure why having the admin account with a password visible
on the login screen is a bad idea.

 

[Malke]

I'm still not sure why having the admin account with a password visible
on the login screen is a bad idea.

Because having the built-in Administrator enabled (which is the only way it
will be visible) is just one more step outside of security. It is easy to
enable it and will not keep someone with physical access to the machine out
but leaving it disabled is rather like locking your car doors. It won't keep
a determined thief out but that doesn't mean one leaves the doors unlocked.
If someone with malicious intent has physical access to the machine, it is
owned anyway.

Better to teach your relative how to stay safe - use a standard account for
daily work and practice Safe Hex.

http://www.getsafeonline.org/
https://www.mysecurecyberspace.com/
http://www.getnetwise.org/
http://www.claymania.com/safe-hex.html
http://www.aumha.org/a/parasite.htm - The Parasite Fight
http://msmvps.com/blogs/harrywaldron/archive/2006/02/05/82584.aspx - MVP
Harry Waldron - The Family PC - How to stay safe on the Internet
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/staying-safe.pdf

Malke

 

[GSalisbury]

Makes sense.
I let people run at Power users when I set up a Vista Ultimate machine,
but the admin account is generally not accessible to normal users.



I'm still not sure why having the admin account with a password visible on
the login screen is a bad idea.

Given this: "The laptop is for a cousin going off to college.", to add to
the mix, it is probably not a good idea to make so that the
unexpected/intended/undesirable is easier to happen.
When "going off to college" is expressed the presumption is "for the first
time" therefore high-school senior=college freshman=stupid by definition.
Something to think about.
Geo.

 

[Justin]

Because having the built-in Administrator enabled (which is the only way it
will be visible) is just one more step outside of security. It is easy to
enable it and will not keep someone with physical access to the machine out
but leaving it disabled is rather like locking your car doors. It won't keep
a determined thief out but that doesn't mean one leaves the doors unlocked.
If someone with malicious intent has physical access to the machine, it is
owned anyway.

Better to teach your relative how to stay safe - use a standard account for
daily work and practice Safe Hex.

Right, I want him to use a standard account for normal work - but as of
now every account is set as admin.
My problem is, once i take that only user account down to normal user -
then what?
What if he needs to install something like an Office update? IE8 (god
forbid)?
My ultimate goal is to do exactly that, but have the admin account
password protected but available to him should he need it.

 

[Justin]

Given this: "The laptop is for a cousin going off to college.", to add
to the mix, it is probably not a good idea to make so that the
unexpected/intended/undesirable is easier to happen.
When "going off to college" is expressed the presumption is "for the
first time" therefore high-school senior=college freshman=stupid by
definition.
Something to think about.
Geo.

With the admin account disabled - I can't make the user a standard account.

http://www.imagebam.com/image/28dc4f44832683