No login & no accounts

[Jim]

Is it possible to install XP so i have no accounts and no logins?

My situation is I'm the only one using the PC so no need for extra accounts
and no need for admin acc as I'm going to be doing everything anyway, if
this cannot be done during install, how would i go about doing it once XP
has been installed, to be short i want it to work like 98 used to you, do i
have any way of making this happen?

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

No.

Why you should not run your computer as an administrator:

Running Windows XP as an administrator could possibly make your
computer system vulnerable to Trojan horses and other security risks.
The simple act of visiting an Internet site can be extremely damaging
to the system. An unfamiliar Internet site may have Trojan horse code
that can be downloaded to the system and executed. If you are logged
on with administrator privileges, a Trojan horse could do things like
reformat your hard drive, delete all your files, create a new user account
with administrative access, and so on.

You should add yourself to the Users or Power Users group. When you
log on as a member of the Users group, you can perform routine tasks,
including running programs and visiting Internet sites, without exposing
your computer to unnecessary risk. As a member of the Power Users group,
you can perform routine tasks and you can also install programs, add printers,
and use most Control Panel items. If you need to perform administrative tasks,
such as upgrading the operating system or configuring system parameters,
then log off and log back on as an administrator.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


| Is it possible to install XP so i have no accounts and no logins?
|
| My situation is I'm the only one using the PC so no need for extra accounts
| and no need for admin acc as I'm going to be doing everything anyway, if
| this cannot be done during install, how would i go about doing it once XP
| has been installed, to be short i want it to work like 98 used to you, do i
| have any way of making this happen?

 

[Gail]

Are we talking XP home here or XP Pro? I just purchased new computer with
XP Home (OEM) version preinstalled. This business of accounts and users is
very confusing. Like the original post I will very likely be the only user
98% of the time. I do like the fact that my documents under my profile are
kept confidential though.
When I finished the setup at home I chose to type in USER as my name as I
had to return a prior computer that was malfunctioning and did not like the
fact that my name was on it. Now though I would like to change the logon
and the C:\Documents and Settings\USER to my real name. Can't seem to find
out where to do this
Norton Internet Security 2003 also came preinstalled. I had to uninstall and
re-install to get the Account User features of that product in order to
protect all logons. I chose to accept the Windows Users option when setting
up NIS2003. Of course it shows USER instead of my name which I would want
to change. It also advised that other Windows Users accounts were
Administrator and Guest. I can find Guest but where do I find
Administrator?

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

Original Administrator Account Does Not Appear During Friendly Logon Method
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;281992&Product=winxp

Enable Administrator account on Welcome Screen
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/scripts_desc/xp_admin_ok.htm

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


| Are we talking XP home here or XP Pro? I just purchased new computer with
| XP Home (OEM) version preinstalled. This business of accounts and users is
| very confusing. Like the original post I will very likely be the only user
| 98% of the time. I do like the fact that my documents under my profile are
| kept confidential though.
| When I finished the setup at home I chose to type in USER as my name as I
| had to return a prior computer that was malfunctioning and did not like the
| fact that my name was on it. Now though I would like to change the logon
| and the C:\Documents and Settings\USER to my real name. Can't seem to find
| out where to do this
| Norton Internet Security 2003 also came preinstalled. I had to uninstall and
| re-install to get the Account User features of that product in order to
| protect all logons. I chose to accept the Windows Users option when setting
| up NIS2003. Of course it shows USER instead of my name which I would want
| to change. It also advised that other Windows Users accounts were
| Administrator and Guest. I can find Guest but where do I find
| Administrator?

 

[Jim]

No.

Why you should not run your computer as an administrator:

Running Windows XP as an administrator could possibly make your
computer system vulnerable to Trojan horses and other security risks.
The simple act of visiting an Internet site can be extremely damaging
to the system. An unfamiliar Internet site may have Trojan horse code
that can be downloaded to the system and executed. If you are logged
on with administrator privileges, a Trojan horse could do things like
reformat your hard drive, delete all your files, create a new user account
with administrative access, and so on.

You should add yourself to the Users or Power Users group. When you
log on as a member of the Users group, you can perform routine tasks,
including running programs and visiting Internet sites, without exposing
your computer to unnecessary risk. As a member of the Power Users group,
you can perform routine tasks and you can also install programs, add printers,
and use most Control Panel items. If you need to perform administrative tasks,
such as upgrading the operating system or configuring system parameters,
then log off and log back on as an administrator.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

-------------
But this seems overkill for poor old me who don't want to know about all
these accounts, from what you are saying then i must have an account with my
name "Jimmy" and if i want to do anything with OS & settings then i must use
"Admin" account.
So for someone who does not want to have to remember his own login
information i know have to remember not only my own account but also admin
account as well, this is not good news for me as i have problems remembering
my own name, let alone 2 different accounts, just to do simple tasks, 98
seems appealing all of a sudden

 

[Gail]

Thanks Carey but still confused. I downloaded the Add_Administrator file as
per advice. Yes it does show now on the Ctrl-Pnl | User Accounts function.
It still does NOT appear on the Welcome screen or the Classic Logon screen.
My fear here is that if I change my current account from its existing
"administrator status" to "standard user status" and keep the one Guest
account what happens if I need to do some administrator functions and I am
logged on as a "standard user" with no way to access the Administrator
(username) with administrator privileges?????

 

[Gail]

Trying to get a firm answer on this. If you have one (yourself ) and one
guest account in Home edition you have no alternative but to logon as
administrator, the system insists that there be one user profile with
administrative privileges - right????