Unauthorized Password Deletion

[Guest]

OK, thanks, I will give it a try and see if it slows them down. The whole
intent is to limit their usage after a certain point in the evening - don't
want them up after I go to bed logging back in!

 

[Guest]

will do

Set a strong password on the built-in Administrator account.


--

Bruce Chambers

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They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

 

[Guest]

Thanks Bruce, I will run a search for common titles and see if I notice any
of those on the computer.

 

[Guest]

OK, thanks for the instructions for someone who knows his way around Word and
Excel, but not too many of the other basics.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the detail Vanguard, I will see if this stops the problem. Just
want to be have some assurance that after I log off the computer at night and
make sure the kids are in bed (or in their rooms), they don't sneak back out
and stay on the computer all night.

 

[Vanguard]

Thanks for the detail Vanguard, I will see if this stops the problem.
Just
want to be have some assurance that after I log off the computer at
night and
make sure the kids are in bed (or in their rooms), they don't sneak
back out
and stay on the computer all night.

Go into the BIOS and set a password (both a system and BIOS password).
This requries the password to get past the POST and load the OS or to
enter the BIOS setup screens. Then set the power options so the Power
button on the system case puts the system into Hibernate mode and that
the system goes into Hibernate mode after a period of inactivity. Or
just shutdown Windows and power off. Access is thwarted immediately.
Password crackers won't work because no OS has yet been loaded which is
required to run the password cracker.

Make sure to lock the case (most have a tang for adding a small padlock
or use the permanent-stick lock kits) so the kids don't open the case to
use the reset jumper to reset the BIOS settings (which would undue any
tweaks or settings that you configured, including the password).

Of course, why are you leaving the computer in a public room to which
they have access? Instead put it in a lockable room so they can't get
physical access to it. You can buy a stun gun for about $20 solely as a
"training aid".

 

[Guest]

I appreciate the additional suggestions, but you have to understand the set
up. We are a one computer family (2 adults, 4 kids) and so making access
physically difficult (remove the mouse/keyboard, lock the room) puts a lot of
inconvenience on the innocent users - including me. That is what I am doing
now anyway though. I just was looking for another way to stop the deviant
password deleter and so gain time of day control back and allow the innocent
ones access as they need it.

 

[Vanguard]

I appreciate the additional suggestions, but you have to understand the
set
up. We are a one computer family (2 adults, 4 kids) and so making
access
physically difficult (remove the mouse/keyboard, lock the room) puts a
lot of
inconvenience on the innocent users - including me. That is what I am
doing
now anyway though. I just was looking for another way to stop the
deviant
password deleter and so gain time of day control back and allow the
innocent
ones access as they need it.

A BIOS password (and a wee padlock on the case tang) is hardly undue
hardship on any legitimate user. When others are sharing the computer,
just don't power down. Leave the computer up so the others can login.
Power down (or hibernate) when its nighttime and when no one is supposed
to be using the computer. They're supposed to be sleeping, not
computing.

Hopefully you already figured out how to login in under the
"Administrator" account to give it a *strong* password (and do the same
with EVERY admin-level account, too). There are password crackers that
attempt to circumvent the login password of Windows. Often many of them
run under Linux and require using a bootable CD to load the OS under
which the user then runs the password cracker. So configure the BIOS to
*not* include the CD/DVD drives in the boot drive sequence, and the same
for the floppy drive.