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#1
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Administrator account ?
If I wipe out all guest accounts must a password be used every time
the computer is started ? Thanks |
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#3
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Administrator account ?
"Malke" wrote in message
... If you have XP Pro and are actually using the built-in Administrator for your own daily work, then if it becomes corrupted (a not-uncommon occurrence) you are S.O.L. This is what the guidebooks say -- but can you expand on the reasons why? E.g. do you mean that (1) after an Admin. account gets corrupted, (2) an uncorrupted limited User account be used to create a new Admin. account with access to all functions? This would seem contrary to WinXP's general security principle. -- Don Phillipson Carlsbad Springs (Ottawa, Canada) |
#4
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Administrator account ?
Don Phillipson wrote:
"Malke" wrote in message ... If you have XP Pro and are actually using the built-in Administrator for your own daily work, then if it becomes corrupted (a not-uncommon occurrence) you are S.O.L. This is what the guidebooks say -- but can you expand on the reasons why? E.g. do you mean that (1) after an Admin. account gets corrupted, (2) an uncorrupted limited User account be used to create a new Admin. account with access to all functions? This would seem contrary to WinXP's general security principle. No, that's not what I mean at all. Quite the opposite. If you only have one administrative user account and it is the built-in Administrator (as is possible in XP Pro - it is hidden in XP Home and therefore in reserve for an emergency in Home) and it becomes corrupted, you won't have any workable user accounts on the system at all. You can try to fix the corrupted profile, but that doesn't often work and in that case you'll have to reinstall Windows at that point. You can't create a new user account from a Limited account - you don't have the authority to do that. Malke -- MS-MVP Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic! http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ |
#5
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Administrator account ?
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#6
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Administrator account ?
"Malke" wrote in message
... If you only have one administrative user account and it is the built-in Administrator (as is possible in XP Pro - it is hidden in XP Home and therefore in reserve for an emergency in Home) and it becomes corrupted, you won't have any workable user accounts on the system at all. You can try to fix the corrupted profile, but that doesn't often work and in that case you'll have to reinstall Windows at that point. You can't create a new user account from a Limited account - you don't have the authority to do that. So does this mean that every WinXP PC needs a duplicated clone of the Administrator account, kept in reserve just for unforeseen emergencies? -- Don Phillipson Carlsbad Springs (Ottawa, Canada) |
#7
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Administrator account ?
"Malke" wrote in message
... If you only have one administrative user account and it is the built-in Administrator (as is possible in XP Pro - it is hidden in XP Home and therefore in reserve for an emergency in Home) and it becomes corrupted, you won't have any workable user accounts on the system at all. You can try to fix the corrupted profile, but that doesn't often work and in that case you'll have to reinstall Windows at that point. You can't create a new user account from a Limited account - you don't have the authority to do that. So does this mean that every WinXP PC needs a duplicated clone of the Administrator account, kept in reserve just for unforeseen emergencies? -- Don Phillipson Carlsbad Springs (Ottawa, Canada) |
#8
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Administrator account ?
Don Phillipson wrote:
So does this mean that every WinXP PC needs a duplicated clone of the Administrator account, kept in reserve just for unforeseen emergencies? A "duplicated clone"? No. It means that whatever operating system you are using should have at least one user account with administrative privileges that isn't used on a daily basis so you can get out of a pickle with it if you need to. In Unix and Linux, this is root. We almost *never* log into root's actual account when working in those operating systems. I can't remember the last time I logged into root in Linux. It just isn't necessary. In XP, this means we don't use the built-in Administrator account for daily work. In XP Home, you can't do this anyway since the built-in Administrator is hidden by design. The only way you can access Administrator in XP Home is to boot into Safe Mode. And that's A Good Thing because it means the user can't mess it up and it will be there when you need it to fix the system. In XP Pro, this means that you don't use the built-in Administrator for your own account. From a security standpoint, it is better to run as a Limited user in XP but from a practical standpoint (because of older software that won't work unless it has write-access to directories and registry keys that are off-limits to non-administrative users) most people's daily user accounts have administrative privileges in XP. Normally when you install XP Pro, at the end of the installation routine you're asked to provide a password for Administrator (this is the built-in Administrator). After you do that, you're asked to provide the names of other user accounts you want on the system (you don't assign the passwords then). If you don't create other user accounts, you'll be logged into the built-in Administrator. If you do (properly) create other user accounts, the built-in Administrator will not have an icon on the Welcome Screen (to "hide" it). Unlike XP Home, it will still be accessible from Regular Mode, however. In Vista and Win7, the built-in Administrator account is disabled by default for security purposes. Other operating systems such as OS X and some Linux distros also do this. This makes having an extra user account with administrative privileges extremely useful because, unlike XP, it is completely practical and desirable to run as a Standard user (equivalent of Limited user in XP) in Vista and Win7. I hope this has exhausted your questions about user accounts. However, if it hasn't then please let me know. Malke -- MS-MVP Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic! http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ |
#9
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Administrator account ?
Don Phillipson wrote:
So does this mean that every WinXP PC needs a duplicated clone of the Administrator account, kept in reserve just for unforeseen emergencies? A "duplicated clone"? No. It means that whatever operating system you are using should have at least one user account with administrative privileges that isn't used on a daily basis so you can get out of a pickle with it if you need to. In Unix and Linux, this is root. We almost *never* log into root's actual account when working in those operating systems. I can't remember the last time I logged into root in Linux. It just isn't necessary. In XP, this means we don't use the built-in Administrator account for daily work. In XP Home, you can't do this anyway since the built-in Administrator is hidden by design. The only way you can access Administrator in XP Home is to boot into Safe Mode. And that's A Good Thing because it means the user can't mess it up and it will be there when you need it to fix the system. In XP Pro, this means that you don't use the built-in Administrator for your own account. From a security standpoint, it is better to run as a Limited user in XP but from a practical standpoint (because of older software that won't work unless it has write-access to directories and registry keys that are off-limits to non-administrative users) most people's daily user accounts have administrative privileges in XP. Normally when you install XP Pro, at the end of the installation routine you're asked to provide a password for Administrator (this is the built-in Administrator). After you do that, you're asked to provide the names of other user accounts you want on the system (you don't assign the passwords then). If you don't create other user accounts, you'll be logged into the built-in Administrator. If you do (properly) create other user accounts, the built-in Administrator will not have an icon on the Welcome Screen (to "hide" it). Unlike XP Home, it will still be accessible from Regular Mode, however. In Vista and Win7, the built-in Administrator account is disabled by default for security purposes. Other operating systems such as OS X and some Linux distros also do this. This makes having an extra user account with administrative privileges extremely useful because, unlike XP, it is completely practical and desirable to run as a Standard user (equivalent of Limited user in XP) in Vista and Win7. I hope this has exhausted your questions about user accounts. However, if it hasn't then please let me know. Malke -- MS-MVP Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic! http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ |
#10
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Administrator account ?
"Don Phillipson" wrote in message
... "Malke" wrote in message ... If you only have one administrative user account and it is the built-in Administrator (as is possible in XP Pro - it is hidden in XP Home and therefore in reserve for an emergency in Home) and it becomes corrupted, you won't have any workable user accounts on the system at all. You can try to fix the corrupted profile, but that doesn't often work and in that case you'll have to reinstall Windows at that point. You can't create a new user account from a Limited account - you don't have the authority to do that. So does this mean that every WinXP PC needs a duplicated clone of the Administrator account, kept in reserve just for unforeseen emergencies? No, it means that you should not use the Administrator account except for emergencies. If you otherwise require an *Administrator level* account, you should create one, but that can only be done *from* an existing Administrator level account. It can not be done from a Limited account, which can not create other user accounts. These other admin-level accounts have the same Admin rights and priveleges as the actual Administrator account, but are not "duplicated clones" of it. HTH -pk -- Don Phillipson Carlsbad Springs (Ottawa, Canada) |
#11
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Administrator account ?
"Don Phillipson" wrote in message
... "Malke" wrote in message ... If you only have one administrative user account and it is the built-in Administrator (as is possible in XP Pro - it is hidden in XP Home and therefore in reserve for an emergency in Home) and it becomes corrupted, you won't have any workable user accounts on the system at all. You can try to fix the corrupted profile, but that doesn't often work and in that case you'll have to reinstall Windows at that point. You can't create a new user account from a Limited account - you don't have the authority to do that. So does this mean that every WinXP PC needs a duplicated clone of the Administrator account, kept in reserve just for unforeseen emergencies? No, it means that you should not use the Administrator account except for emergencies. If you otherwise require an *Administrator level* account, you should create one, but that can only be done *from* an existing Administrator level account. It can not be done from a Limited account, which can not create other user accounts. These other admin-level accounts have the same Admin rights and priveleges as the actual Administrator account, but are not "duplicated clones" of it. HTH -pk -- Don Phillipson Carlsbad Springs (Ottawa, Canada) |
#12
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Administrator account ?
"Patrick Keenan" wrote in message
... So does this mean that every WinXP PC needs a duplicated clone of the Administrator account, kept in reserve just for unforeseen emergencies? No, it means that you should not use the Administrator account except for emergencies. If you otherwise require an *Administrator level* account, you should create one, but that can only be done *from* an existing Administrator level account. It can not be done from a Limited account, which can not create other user accounts. This and Malke's explanation make sense, I suppose. I have always used the Admin. account for general purposes, since I instal new software time to time and tidy up as time allows, but my other two users have only Limited accounts. The Admin. account suffered no damage or emergencies to date, including a couple of power failures, and the system is on a UPS and shut down overnight, but I have used XP for only three years. With 25 years prior experience (since Kaypro CP/M) I had always supposed, if I really wrecked the system, I could always use System Restore (configured ON) to put it back the way it was. Is this not right? (Used this once in three years.) I admit that when given an obsolete laptop for rehabilitation I used a Limited User account for everyday purposes -- but this was because I was then unfamiliari with both XP and laptops. No unforeseen emergencies happened, however. -- Don Phillipson Carlsbad Springs (Ottawa, Canada) |
#13
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Administrator account ?
"Patrick Keenan" wrote in message
... So does this mean that every WinXP PC needs a duplicated clone of the Administrator account, kept in reserve just for unforeseen emergencies? No, it means that you should not use the Administrator account except for emergencies. If you otherwise require an *Administrator level* account, you should create one, but that can only be done *from* an existing Administrator level account. It can not be done from a Limited account, which can not create other user accounts. This and Malke's explanation make sense, I suppose. I have always used the Admin. account for general purposes, since I instal new software time to time and tidy up as time allows, but my other two users have only Limited accounts. The Admin. account suffered no damage or emergencies to date, including a couple of power failures, and the system is on a UPS and shut down overnight, but I have used XP for only three years. With 25 years prior experience (since Kaypro CP/M) I had always supposed, if I really wrecked the system, I could always use System Restore (configured ON) to put it back the way it was. Is this not right? (Used this once in three years.) I admit that when given an obsolete laptop for rehabilitation I used a Limited User account for everyday purposes -- but this was because I was then unfamiliari with both XP and laptops. No unforeseen emergencies happened, however. -- Don Phillipson Carlsbad Springs (Ottawa, Canada) |
#14
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Administrator account ?
Don Phillipson wrote:
This and Malke's explanation make sense, I suppose. I have always used the Admin. account for general purposes, since I instal new software time to time and tidy up as time allows, but my other two users have only Limited accounts. The Admin. account suffered no damage or emergencies to date, including a couple of power failures, and the system is on a UPS and shut down overnight, but I have used XP for only three years. With 25 years prior experience (since Kaypro CP/M) I had always supposed, if I really wrecked the system, I could always use System Restore (configured ON) to put it back the way it was. Is this not right? (Used this once in three years.) If you can't get into your only administrator account you won't be able to run System Restore. So no, it isn't best practice. Of course you can do what you want. ;-) I admit that when given an obsolete laptop for rehabilitation I used a Limited User account for everyday purposes -- but this was because I was then unfamiliari with both XP and laptops. No unforeseen emergencies happened, however. Emergencies and accidents by their very nature are unforeseen. One can only Be Prepared. ;-) Malke -- MS-MVP Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic! http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ |
#15
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Administrator account ?
Don Phillipson wrote:
This and Malke's explanation make sense, I suppose. I have always used the Admin. account for general purposes, since I instal new software time to time and tidy up as time allows, but my other two users have only Limited accounts. The Admin. account suffered no damage or emergencies to date, including a couple of power failures, and the system is on a UPS and shut down overnight, but I have used XP for only three years. With 25 years prior experience (since Kaypro CP/M) I had always supposed, if I really wrecked the system, I could always use System Restore (configured ON) to put it back the way it was. Is this not right? (Used this once in three years.) If you can't get into your only administrator account you won't be able to run System Restore. So no, it isn't best practice. Of course you can do what you want. ;-) I admit that when given an obsolete laptop for rehabilitation I used a Limited User account for everyday purposes -- but this was because I was then unfamiliari with both XP and laptops. No unforeseen emergencies happened, however. Emergencies and accidents by their very nature are unforeseen. One can only Be Prepared. ;-) Malke -- MS-MVP Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic! http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ |
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