XP home restrictions

[tinyang]

Is there anyway to log onto XP home as THE administrator without booting
into safe mode? Is there anyway to make the user(s) change their
password within a specified period of time or force account lockouts
after typing in the wrong password to many times? One of my two sons
keeps figuring out the passwords to my other son's computer and gaining
unauthorized access to the computer. I understand that XP home is not
very secure in these manners so if 3rd party software is the only
solution, please suggest it. Thanks.

 

[jeffrey]

Hi,

As far as I know, XP Home admin account can only be used in Safe mode. As
for password lockout and enforcement, there is no security policy that I see
in Admin tools for Home edition. As for your son`s password, he will need
to think of something more creative for a password, not something your other
son might guess from knowing his personality. Just tell him to create a
password that is more than 8 characters long, using both upper and lower
case letters, mixed with numbers and sysmbols. Plus don`t use words to
create the password. Only other solution is to upgrade your OS to XP Pro, I
understand Upgrade packs do not cost that much, around $100 I beleive, not
sure though.

Jeff

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi,

Question #1: No, there isn't.

Question #2: No, you need Pro to enforce those sorts of restrictions. That
is part of the local security policy snap-in, something that is not
available in WinXP Home.

No specific recommendations on a third-party program, but that is what you
will need.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org