Shenan
Fri Apr 18 00:43:51 PDT 2008
<excess line spacing removed>
Tom wrote:
> I am running Windows XP Home. I have a standalone laptop, no
> network.
> As of now, anyone can start my computer and get it. Windows XP Home
> has No login security! I cannot stop anyone from getting into my
> computer.
> I looked at www.download.com and could not find it.
>
> Is there any security software that prompts for a password for
> login OR AT BOOT?
>
> Also - access security software for memory sticks!!!
In the future - please crosspost as opposed to multiposting. It'll save you
and those responding to you time and effort (and some will not respond to
you at all once they see you have multiposted - and that is *their* choice.)
Windows XP Home *has* logon security - you are just choosing not to utilize
it. I have *no idea* why you would go to "www.download.com" to look for
Windows XP Home Logon Security. heh
Ensure every user on your computer *has* a password assigned to the account.
This will include the built in "administrator" user - for which (being that
you have Windows XP Home Edition) you need to boot into Safe Mode, log in as
the user "administrator" (which probably has no password) and assign one to
that user there.
- Open the Control Panel
- Select User Accounts
- Select your own user account
- Select "Assign Password" (If you already have a password assigned, only
"Change Password" will be available and you can stop this part now.)
- Go through the steps to assign a password to the account - make sure it is
one you can remember. Here are some tips on a 'strong' password:
Passwords should contain at least six characters, and the character
string should contain at least three of these four character types:
- uppercase letters
- lowercase letters
- numerals
- nonalphanumeric characters (e.g., *, %, &, !, :)
Passwords should not contain your name/username.
Passwords should be unique to you and easy to remember.
One method many people are using today is to make up a phrase that
describes a point in their life and then turning that phrase into their
password by using only certain letters out of each word in that phrase.
It's much better than using your birthday month/year or your anniversary
in a pure sense. For example, let's say my phrase is:
'Great new job in November 2007'
I could come up with this password from that:
'Gr8n3wj0bNOV2007'
After making sure all users now *have* a password assigned to them - make
sure Windows XP knows you want users to have to enter them. Being Windows
XP Home and since you have only one user - Windows XP could just have
decided to let you in (there's only one user available in normal mode - what
are you going to choose from?) You need to tell it you want it to ask for
your password.
- Click the Start button
- On the Start menu click Run
- In the Run dialogue box type ?control userpasswords2? (without the quotes)
and press OK
- The User Account properties window will now appear
- Ensure there is a check mark next to the ?users must enter a user name and
password to use this computer? option
- Click Apply and/or click OK.
Go through the following 'checklist' Microsoft has available for reaching
some base level of security:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/archive/security/chklist/xpcl.mspx
If you wish to set a boot-up password (prior to even being able to load the
operating system - so the hardware itself asks for a password) - you can
most likely do this through your system BIOS. This is *not* a function of
your operating system - this is a function of the hardware and you must
follow the directions given by your user manual on how to get into the
system BIOS (usually a key like F1, F2, DEL, etc - prior to any OS starting
to load at power-on) and (if possible with yout particular computer) how to
assign a boot password.
As for security for data you store on a memory stick, two things:
1) Don't store critical or private data on a memory stick that you carry
around with you freely.
2) Whether or not you break #1, Encrypt any and all data you store on a
memory stick.
For #2 - TrueCrypt is a good solution, IMHO.
Search using Google!
http://www.google.com/
(How-to:
http://www.google.com/intl/en/help/basics.html )
--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html