HelpDesk
Create a Safer Account for Day-to-Day Use in Windows XP
For additional information on using safer accounts, click here. To continue setting up a safer account, follow the steps below.
It is very important that you set up your computer according to StartSafe recommendations before converting a Windows computer. One of the StartSafe steps will set up your computer for automated security updates and installations. This is necessary because only administrative accounts get notified of new updates.
Step 1: Click Start -> Control Panel and Open the "User Accounts" tool.
note:
if you do not see any of the options listed in the following steps, do not
continue these instructions. Contact your system administrator for more details.
Your computer may have an unusual configuration that needs special procedures.
Step 2: Create a new user account.
1) Click Create a new account.
2) Type in your JMU e-ID as your account name (e.g.
"fuddep" followed by the letter 'x': "fuddepx"), then click
Next.
3) Select "Computer Administrator" as the account type and click Create
Account.
Step 3: Assign a strong password to that new account.
1) Click on the icon of the account created in Step 2.
2) Click Create a password.
3) Type in a strong password and then retype it in the
confirmation box.
note: the password should conform to the following
specifications:
• should not be a word that exists in the dictionary • should be
at least 8 characters long
• should consist of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and
characters
4) Type in a password hint and then click Create Password.
note: if you logon to a Windows Domain or Novell account, password
changes to that account will affect your original Windows account (not this
Administrative account), so be sure to include a useful password hint.
5) Click Home and return to the homepage for the "User
Accounts" tool.
Step 4: Change your original account's type.
1) Click on the icon representing your original account (usually this is identified by your e-ID).
2) Click Change my account type.
3) Select "Limited" as the account type and click Change Account Type.
4) Exit the "User Accounts" tool.
5) Restart your computer for the new changes to take effect.
Effects on System
You will notice a few operating changes after your computer restarts. These
effects, however, are minor and are easily outweighed by the benefits of using
Windows with a Limited account.
Welcome Screen
If you were the only account previously listed within the "User Accounts"
tool and you did not have a password assigned to your account, your computer
will no longer automatically logon. Instead, your computer will start at the
Welcome screen. The Welcome screen allows you to select the user
account you want to logon as and does not affect system performance or
capabilities.
System-Wide Changes
Using a Limited account will prevent you
and criminals and viruses from performing administrative functions such
as installing programs, adding new hardware, and managing accounts. In the event
that you need to make a system-wide change, use one of the following methods:
When you want to create additional user accounts, for example for
family members sharing a home computer, create them as limited accounts. Run As...
In order to install a program you may need to invoke Administrator
privileges. This can be done via right-clicking the program and selecting the
Run As... option.
This will prompt you with the Run As dialogue. Select the
administrative account you created, type the password you assigned to it, and
click OK. The program will now run using Administrator
privileges. Additional information and more tips on how to access other things in Windows with a limited account can be found here.
Logon as Administive User
If the Run As... option does not work, simply logout and then
logon as the administrative user you created. Once you have completed the
change, log back out and logon using your limited account.
