Account Login

[Guest]

I think my daughter or son has found a way to login to the Admin account. I
have found several logins that were preceeded by login failures. Is there a
way to enter the computer without knowing the system password? And how do I
block it from happening again?

 

[Malke]

I think my daughter or son has found a way to login to the Admin
account. I have found several logins that were preceeded by login
failures. Is there a way to enter the computer without knowing the
system password? And how do I block it from happening again?

Anyone with physical access to a computer with skill, tools, and time
(under 5 minutes) can get into a computer running any operating system.
There are a few things you can do to secure your computer at home (and
all of them can be gotten around), but ultimately this is a family
problem and does not have a technical solution.

1. Set a password in the BIOS so the computer will not load the
operating system without the proper password. Also password-protect
Setup access (BIOS).

2. Set your computer to boot from the hard drive first.

3. Put strong passwords on the Administrator and your own personal
accounts.

Doing the above will make it harder, but since I don't know the ages and
skill levels of your children I can't say whether this will be
effective. As a parent and a tech, I *can* tell you that you are
looking for technical solutions to a parent-child problem and that
simply will not work.

Good luck,

 

[einstonium]

also make sure that the Windows XP systems Administrator has a password
located in Safe Mode.

 

[Guest]

Anyone with physical access to a computer with skill, tools, and time
(under 5 minutes) can get into a computer running any operating system.
There are a few things you can do to secure your computer at home (and
all of them can be gotten around), but ultimately this is a family
problem and does not have a technical solution.

1. Set a password in the BIOS so the computer will not load the
operating system without the proper password. Also password-protect
Setup access (BIOS).

2. Set your computer to boot from the hard drive first.

3. Put strong passwords on the Administrator and your own personal
accounts.

Doing the above will make it harder, but since I don't know the ages and
skill levels of your children I can't say whether this will be
effective. As a parent and a tech, I *can* tell you that you are
looking for technical solutions to a parent-child problem and that
simply will not work.

They are 16 and 14. They have been instructed to stay off this computer but
its hard to enforce when your not home 24/7. How do I put strong password and
personal accounts?

 

[Malke]

They are 16 and 14. They have been instructed to stay off this
computer but its hard to enforce when your not home 24/7. How do I put
strong password and personal accounts?

Your children are old enough to behave better and also old enough to get
around security measures. Do all 3 suggestions above. If you don't know
how, then have a tech or a really knowledgeable friend set you up and
*show* you what they did. Or get rid of the desktop computer and buy a
laptop. Take it to work with you.

But seriously - and I am not unsympathetic - you have to get a handle on
this and this means being a tough parent and also learning enough about
computers to know when your kids have been up to something on yours.
You have to address the problem of your children not obeying your
wishes about what after all is *your* computer and this is something
you can never do with technology.

Malke

 

[Guest]

I would love to, but they are step kids and wife does not want to punish them.

 

[Malke]

I would love to, but they are step kids and wife does not want to
punish them.

Exactly as I said - this is a family matter that cannot be solved with
technology. Good luck.

Malke

 

[pete]

Divorce her and you will get rid of four problems!!!!!!, lol

I have seem a usb "dongle" that you have to have inserted to be able to
start the pc, take a look in your local PC World.

Hope this helps a bit better that a divorce!
)