Will this user profile set up be safe?

[Fred]

I use XP Home (SP1) on a single machine.

I have currently have 3 profiles set up:
Dad (administrator) (owner)
Mom (limited)
Children (limited)

I've heard it is unsafe to use an administrator account
for day to day use, so I want to correct this.

Is it acceptable to create a new profile with
administrator priviledges to use only when necessary and
then change the "Dad" profile to a limited user for
everyday use?

The point of my question is two-fold:
1. I already have the e-mail set up for "Dad", and it
would be easier if I didn't have to create it again in a
new user profile.
2. Although my current profile is named "Dad", when I see
this profile listed in areas such as system, Explorer,
etc., the account shows as "Owner". I didn't know if
the "Owner" aspect of the profile makes it more important
than any other profile. If it is a "more important"
profile, should I keep the "Dad" profile as is (except
elimininate the email accounts in it), and make a new
profile (limited) for day to day use, or does it not make
a difference?

Sorry for this being so long winded.

Any insight would be appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Jim Macklin]

Yes, you can create an new account, say Father, more strict
and authoritative than Dad. Make it an administrator. Then
use it for a while to make sure it works OK. Then using
that account open the "user" app in the control panel and
change Dad to a limited user.

Depending on what hardware or software you have installed,
some things may not work as expected.

Be sure that you password protect the administrator
accounts. Also there is a default hidden administrator
account available when you boot to safe mode.


message |
| I use XP Home (SP1) on a single machine.
|
| I have currently have 3 profiles set up:
| Dad (administrator) (owner)
| Mom (limited)
| Children (limited)
|
| I've heard it is unsafe to use an administrator account
| for day to day use, so I want to correct this.
|
| Is it acceptable to create a new profile with
| administrator priviledges to use only when necessary and
| then change the "Dad" profile to a limited user for
| everyday use?
|
| The point of my question is two-fold:
| 1. I already have the e-mail set up for "Dad", and it
| would be easier if I didn't have to create it again in a
| new user profile.
| 2. Although my current profile is named "Dad", when I see
| this profile listed in areas such as system, Explorer,
| etc., the account shows as "Owner". I didn't know if
| the "Owner" aspect of the profile makes it more important
| than any other profile. If it is a "more important"
| profile, should I keep the "Dad" profile as is (except
| elimininate the email accounts in it), and make a new
| profile (limited) for day to day use, or does it not make
| a difference?
|
| Sorry for this being so long winded.
|
| Any insight would be appreciated.
|
| Thanks!

 

[The Unknown P]

I don't quite understand where this paranoia about an
Administrative account being used on a daily basis comes
from but if you believe that doing so will in any way
cause adverse conditions to appear in your OS then you are
sadly mistaken. I have a very similiar setup to you and
have had XP HE for over two years and always log on as an
adminstative account with full privileges and have never
encountered any problems at all. Well none related to the
administrative account issue anyway. One admin with
multiple limited accounts is perfectly fine for XP HE and
will never cause any problems at all as long as the Admin
knows what He or She is doing. Have fun.

 

[The Unknown P]

I think what everyone is referring to when claiming it is
unsafe to use it daily is the hidden admin account when
booting into the safe mode. As you rarely boot into safe
mode this really should not be an issue and should not
come up for the average user. Have fun.

 

[Jim Macklin]

The danger is that, a user with administrative privileges
can accidentally change the registry and IF you are hacked
or get a virus, it will also have admin priv.


| I think what everyone is referring to when claiming it is
| unsafe to use it daily is the hidden admin account when
| booting into the safe mode. As you rarely boot into safe
| mode this really should not be an issue and should not
| come up for the average user. Have fun.

 

[Fred]

Yep, I got scared from reading too much.

I guess I was just a bit paranoid about my day to day
profile being 1) an admin account and 2) also the "Owner"
account. Still not really sure what "Owner" has to do
with anything.

Anyway, I think you two gave me the answer I wanted to
hear. Basically being, that I am either fine as I am or,
if I'm paranoid, just set up an admin profile and change
my current administrative (and "owner") profile to a
limited one.

Oh, by the way, Jim, good point in using "Father" instead
of "Dad". Maybe I'll just cut to the chase and use "All
knowing God of Your Universe". Then again, I'd Probably
get locked out of the system due to a field length error
or something and have to explain why.....

Yeah, I'll go with "Father".

Thanks again to both of ya!

 

[Fred]

That was my main concern - virus or something slipping
in under the radar and it having admin priveledges. I'll
just make a new admin profile to sit off to the side and
change my current profile to limited.

That whole "owner" thing attached to my current profile
is still a mystery to me regarding it's importance. That
is why I toyed with the idea of leaving it as the admin
profile and creating a new one for everyday use.
Creating a new one would be more of a hassle though
considering I already have Outlook Express set up in my
current one which would have to be eliminated, and then
re-applied in the new profile.

 

[Jim Macklin]

I am running as admin because certain hardware doesn't want
to function properly in a limited account. Maybe someday HP
will update their scanner drivers.

But I am very careful about what I do and all the admin
enabled accounts are mine. Other family members' accounts
are limited (not password protected).

I'm on dial-up and behind a firewall.



message |
| That was my main concern - virus or something slipping
| in under the radar and it having admin priveledges. I'll
| just make a new admin profile to sit off to the side and
| change my current profile to limited.
|
| That whole "owner" thing attached to my current profile
| is still a mystery to me regarding it's importance. That
| is why I toyed with the idea of leaving it as the admin
| profile and creating a new one for everyday use.
| Creating a new one would be more of a hassle though
| considering I already have Outlook Express set up in my
| current one which would have to be eliminated, and then
| re-applied in the new profile.
|
|
| >-----Original Message-----
| >The danger is that, a user with administrative privileges
| >can accidentally change the registry and IF you are
| hacked
| >or get a virus, it will also have admin priv.
| >
| >
| >| >| I think what everyone is referring to when claiming it
| is
| >| unsafe to use it daily is the hidden admin account when
| >| booting into the safe mode. As you rarely boot into
| safe
| >| mode this really should not be an issue and should not
| >| come up for the average user. Have fun.
| >
| >
| >.
| >

 

[Sharon F]

Still not really sure what "Owner" has to do
with anything.

When a retail copy of XP is installed, the Owner account doesn't appear.
This is something the OEMs have added to their setups.

With any newly created account in XP, the folders are created the first
time a user logs on. The "friendly" user name that shows on the Welcome
screen and Start Menu matches the folder names under Documents and
Settings.

Change the friendly name. The name shown on the Welcome Screen and Start
Menu changes but the underlying folder name for that account remains the
same. In your current administrator account, those underlying folders have
the "Owner" name.