Password WinXP at bootup (SP2)

Topic

New Reply

I have 6 users created. It’s easy to lock the PC when the admin. user has the desk password protected. However, it’s also easy for another user to ‘hard boot’ the PC while it’s in the ‘locked’ stage and consequently ‘unlock’ the system when it completes its re-boot per say.

Because of this situation, I want to be able to passsword the operating system so that only the user with the set password will be able to allow WinXP to boot. As a result, no one but the admin. user can boot the PC>

Reply | Quote

Replies

If you have several users (and they each have their won UserID and Password), an Admin password will only prevent them logging into the admin account. The best solution if you want ONLY one person to be able to boot the machine is to set a BIOS password.

Reply | Quote

Do you mean that you only want a user to be able to logon to one PC? Is this a domain based network?

Joe

--Joe

Reply | Quote

Jasonsweet,

It is not clear what you are trying to achieve. First, what do you mean by “lock” ? Usually that means the computer is powered on, booted up and the user logged on to his account, but access to the computer (with keyboard and mouse) is blocked unless the user type the password – such measure is used when the user is out of his desk to prevent unauthorized access to the computer.

But, if another user has an account on the same computer, you could not prevent him to access his account, so the word “unlock” is meaningless in such situation.

Each user account has its own password. The password can be “blank” (contain no characters) – this situation usually is called “no password” (technically it is not true). It is NOT recommended in any circumstances, so “set” (assign “strong” passwords) to all user accounts on your computer immediately!

If you want to restrict access to some files and folders for some users, assign their user accounts to specific groups (Users, Power Users, Guests, or custom defined groups) and set corresponding folders/files permissions.

Please ask your question again.

Reply | Quote

Sorry for any confusion, I’ll try to answer all the queries within this post.

First to look at Joe’s concerns . No it is not a ‘domain based network’, it’s a home based PC with 4 kids!
Now, don’t all of ye’ raise your hands and lean back in those huge arm chairs, K?

Now for kaplinb:

The “lock” system is the Win logo key+the “L” key, and you’re right it locks that user’s screen and can only be unlocked by his/her password (much the same as a password protected screensaver I suppose). However, as you know if another user just ‘hard boots’ the machine when it’s in this “locked” state, the system will just boot up normally to the desktop. Which in my case has happened.The other users have set their own passwords but as the administrator, I can easily change those anyway.

Therefore, I want to be able to password protect the boot-up so that the administrator is the ONLY one who can turn on/boot the system in order for it to be used.
Each of the users have their own desktop, and I have restriced those users from specific partitioned drives containing MY critical information.

Therefore, I think John has covered the area in which I should be looking.
If any of the readers have the specific ‘actions’ that I should be taking in the BIOS, I’d appreciate any help. I’m a little nervous about those “DOS looking” screens.

Thanks to all for your support and welcomed information.
Jason

Reply | Quote

Jason,
Your user manual should tell you how to access the BIOS and may even display the various BIOS options screens. Alternately, this site may help . Once you have accessed the BIOS setup, simply cycle through the options until you see one that allows you to set a power on password. Set the password, verify it and save and exit. The next time the computer starts, you will have to enter this password to continue booting. DON’T forget the password. You can reset if you cannot remember, but in most cases this involves openeing the case, removing the motherboard battery and sometimes even changing some jumpers on the board.

Reply | Quote

Now I understand. To prevent your computer to logon to administrator account automatically, click Start | Run, type:

control userpasswords2

hit Enter, and on the pop-up screen check “Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer” checkbox. Click OK.
Now all your kids can access only their accounts until they learn to crack your administrator password (and believe me, it will happen much faster then you can imagine!)

Reply | Quote

In post 540,477 , Jason said [indent]

---

I want to be able to password protect the boot-up so that the administrator is the ONLY one who can turn on/boot the system in order for it to be used

---

[/indent] The only way this can be accomplished is with a power-on password. Specifying that the users must enter user names and passwords will NOT prevent them from booting the computer.

Reply | Quote

Reply to all who helped.
Great job from everyone who took the time to help. I now know where I stand and what I have to do.

Thanks again, keep up the great work AND your interest in helping others!

Jason

Reply | Quote

John mentioned the answer above in post 539,996 . You will need to get into the bios and set a master password that will prevent users from accessing both the bios and the operating system so that only you will be able to boot the machine. There may also be a user password setting that will let users boot the o/s, but will not let them have access to the bios settings, but this does not sound as if it is what you want.

Reply | Quote