Boot disk

[Steve Kuper]

I have windows xp home edition. I am administrator
where I have two other users. My questin is..

How would I know if one the other users is
using a boot disk to override my administrator
password to gain access to administrator
priveleges and to gain access to personnal
files. I have a password established in the
F8 boot up menu. Can that be bypassed.

 

[Pavel]

If they know your password then anyone can. With out the password there is
still a way to see any file on your system that is not Encrypted with
certain basic DOS tools. So in future, any data that you wish to keep out of
other peoples hands should be Encrypted. The Encryption can only be set if
your drive is formatted with NTFS. Drive that is formatted using FAT or
FAT32 can not be contain any Encrypted files/folders.

 

[rifleman]

If they know your password then anyone can. With out the password there is
still a way to see any file on your system that is not Encrypted with
certain basic DOS tools.

Not so - you can deny other users access to files and folders. that is 100%
secure unless the other users know your password.

 

[Pavel]

And how did you test this? I have set a folder on my own PC that has the
access set to deny access even to my self and I was still able to see the
contents and the actual files data from outside of WindowsXP.

 

[rifleman]

The disk must be formatted to NTFS and simple file sharing turned off.

 

[Pavel]

I know that! I do not think you know what I am talking about. I am talking
about accessing an NTFS formatted disk from DOS using a small program that
lets me access it with out loading Windows.

 

[Gary Tait]

I know that! I do not think you know what I am talking about. I am talking
about accessing an NTFS formatted disk from DOS using a small program that
lets me access it with out loading Windows.

Turn off the ability to boot in BIOS, and password protect the BIOS
settings.

 

[Alex Nichol]

I have windows xp home edition. I am administrator
where I have two other users. My questin is..

How would I know if one the other users is
using a boot disk to override my administrator
password to gain access to administrator
priveleges and to gain access to personnal
files.

I suggest setting the BIOS setup so that
a: It will *only* boot from Hard disk

b: The BIOS has a password too, preventing anyone who does not know it
from changing it.

At that the only way round would be to open up the case and short the
'reset CMOS' to delete the password there.

 

[Pavel]

And once the Bios is password protected, just remove the battery or use
jumper to clear the CMOS and.....no need for password.

 

[rifleman]

yes but you're talking fairly major hacking here, not just casual attempts
to see a file..........

 

[Pavel]

I do not about major hacking but it only takes about 10 seconds to open the
case (no screws) and remove the battery then another 10 seconds to load up
floppy and execute the program. I have done this few times for my dad when
he forgets his password and needs some data file fast.

 

[rifleman]

yes but my point is that someone would REALLY REALLY want to get at one of
your files to go to all this bother?

 

[Pavel]

Then why even worry about someone keep trying to break in to your computer.
None of the thieves would REALLY REALLY go trough the trouble of making the
effort to do it the easy way. Let's see....trying different passwords may
take 20 minutes or 20 seconds to reset the CMOS.....hmmmm. I don't know.

 

[rifleman]

So I can't see your point....under NORMAL circumstances, any one of the
solutions supplied is going to stop casual access to your files. The only
way YOU want it is to lock up the machine in an armoured vault.
Perhaps it's time to make just a LITTLE compromise?