Jeremy,
There are a few facts that your son could use. If (when ) he is going to use the internet,
he should have a good AVP w/ up to date definitions, a firewall (either hardware or
software), AdAware, and SpyBot S&D. These are essential.
Also from the beginning he should learn how to and use proper backups. This means learning
how to make and "use" an ERD, and backup with "system state" included. He should do these
things early on to make sure he can, when it becomes necessary.
He should also only use the administrator account privileges to accomplish administrative
tasks only. Learn to use "run as.." from his normal account.
This account should have "strong" password protection. That is to have at least ten
alphanumeric characters (upper and lower case) with at least one non alphanumeric
(#,&,~,etc.) between the second and sixth position. As soon as that is set, he should write
it down twice. Place one copy with his important papers (birth certificate, passport,
etc.)(do it right then), and a second copy hidden where he can find it, but others can't, if
(when) he forgets it. Then make a second Administrator user account with a name like AdminII
or something and perform the same password protection. This is case (when) the first account
gets corrupt and you couldn't get into an administrative account to fix and/or reset the
password.
Then setup a user account he intends to use as his account with say Power User privileges.
If he does all of this he "may" not get hacked from the back end of the tower. And use
strong password protection with it also. In fact, he could make a series of passwords to
last him a year that could be changed say once a month, or more often with broad band. Why
broad band? Hackers love fast internet connections.
There are over 65,000 ports or back doors, and believe me, hackers are constantly scanning
for a good candidate to use or ruin. Mostly they use your computer for sending their SPAM to
millions, use it for a server to upload pornography to, upload illegal software to, upload
illegal music to, and a even load things like games in the hidden areas and use the computer
to play them. You have to believe me. I know first hand. I've had it done to me. And that
just touches the surface.
The tip of the Iceberg. Don't open any emails without being scanned for viruses. Don't even
click on attachments from friend unless he knows they sent it (verified by them). He can
actually send them an email to have them say they did or didn't send it, because some of the
viruses today have their own email client built-in to send the emails, even when he doesn't
have email open at all.
Wow, I got carried away... But this is all very important.
Sorry,
don
I have passed my old laptop on to my son. When Win 2000
starts the user name which displays defaults to my name.
IO have created a new user under my sons name but can I
get this default to this new name every time it starts?
I know that the system should should the name of the last
user logged on but this does not happen in my case. The
same name comes up each time I switch on.
