Setting up restricted User Account?

[Pheasant Plucker]

I have an IBM X41 with a fresh installation of XP Pro but I wish to set it
up with the usual Administrator account and a restricted User account.

I wish to restrict the main user so they are unable to install any software
apart from the usual Microsoft security updates & Symantec AntiVirus updates
etc.

I also wish to prevent the time/date from being altered.

Obviously I wish to maintain full access to MS Office 2003 Pro and to run a
custom application but wish to lock down access to most other things.

Is there a recognised way to do this and is there a resource that will spell
out the procedure involved please?

Thanks & regards,
-=pp=-

 

[Guest]

I assume that the main user account is the restricted user account.

A Limited User Account can be created by going

1. START
2. Control Panel
3. User Accounts
4. Create a new account
5. Enter a name and press next...
6. Select a Limited Account...

The dialog box will advise what a Limited Account will be able to do, but it
is along the lines of...can't install programs etc.

The Local Security Policy (LSP) is what determines what a given user can and
can't do. To access LSP do the following;

1. START
2. Control Panel
3. Administrative Tools
4. Local Security Policy
5. Expand the Local Policies Folder and click User Rights Assignment
6. 8th entry down on my system is Change the System Time...yours may be
different depending on how it is set up, SP's hotfixes etc. If you double
click this entry it will tell you who can change the system time and date.
You can add or remove entries as required.

A point to note. A stand alone PC or PC's in a workgroup are limited in
what they can do due with respect to Security Policy due to the limited
account types that you have access to. If you need better security, like
stopping your 11 year old daughter from accessing MSN at 1:00am in the
morning, either put a big padlock on the computer, or set up a Domain.

Hope this helps, and if you want to lock down other features, let me know
and I will try to help.


As for preventing changing Time/Date, you

 

[Pheasant Plucker®]

Thanks for the reply Ecopoxy,

I setup the first PC with the name of the Main User as the default account
with Administrator rights but was wondering if I should set it up under an
account named Administrator and when I have configured it then setup the
main user account?

Obviously I will need to retain an Admin account so I can maintain it in the
future - however it would be good if all the user saw when he logged on
normally was his name as the only user account as the Administrator account
would be 'hidden' - I am guessing I could then access the Administrator
account by pressing ctl/alt/del twice or booting into safe mode?

Thanks again for the detailed reply - I will try what you suggest.

Are there any resources that explain this in full detail?.

Kind regards,
-=pp=-

 

[Guest]

The Administrator account is created by default when XP is installed. You
can remove the Fast User Switching option and return to the classisc Ctrl,
Alt, Del logon screen by changing the setting in User Accounts. This will
give you faster access to the Administrator account but will log off the
other user. Alternatively, if you need to do something as the Administrator,
you can use the Run As command. Browse to the program that you want to run,
highlight it, right click and select Run As. You will be prompted for the
account you want to run the command under.

As for any resources...there are lots out there, some good some bad, but
none that are definative. Google is a great place to start, as are
Newsgroups like this one. The Help and Support in XP will give you a start
point, but it's not too good when you really want to do something interesting.