Urgent Technical Know-How Required

Hi Peeps, STBX has his own laptop and I have discovered he has locked his screen with a password to avoid me seeing behind his back what he's up to.
Meanwhile I have found out that he has been looking through MY files on our desktop. I urgently need to lock the screen for all users (4 users, but kids now don't use it) as he now only uses his laptop for his private use.
Details; Windows XP, but his username is the systems administrator.
How can I block all access from him with a password. Urgent help needed.
Many thanks techies,
Supercali xx

Hi super - if you can get into the admin account - I would suggest you put your own password on it and on any other accounts there are.

However, my ex hacked into my desktop some years ago by d/loading a tool that allowed him to do just that. If your ex has any techy know-how, he may be able to get around passwords.

A better alternative may be to move all the stuff you don't want him to see onto disks and keep them elsewhere

Shezi

If he has admin access, he would be able to re-set passwords on the other accounts I think anyway. If it was me, I'd be moving anything you don't want him to see to elsewhere.

calli - laptops often have a power on password. How you set it can vary from laptop to laptop, usually -
1. Turn on the laptop
2. press F2 or del (some laptops will say "press ?? to enter setup"
3. In setup navigate (using arrow keys) to security settings
4. set power on and HD passwords

Don't forget these - if you lose them you won't be able to reset them.

Once the latop has booted login and rename the administrator account, delete any accounts you don't want to have access, make sure your childrens accounts don't have admin rights. Create a new account called administrator with guest privileges. You are best not having admin rights on your account as there are tools available to hack passwords and yours would be an obvious one to go for.

Removing admin rights from accounts can affect the ability of some applications to run properly - create a shortcut on your desktop to programs that need admin rights and use the 'run as' option to allow these programs to function.

I understood it all right up to "- laptops....." after that not a clue, is it written in yorkshirese "lad" or am i just fick?.

Answers on a post card done in crayon speak

Hi, yes it's not HIS laptop I want to sneek into, he doesn't use the DESKTOP any more and I want to be able to put a password protect on the whole computer (yes including his admin user) so only I have access.
Once I've done this I can change his username to my own with all its super powers. And today I have bought my own USB key and copied my documents onto it. Next to password protect certain important files, but I think my head may explode.
He has said I will 'inherit' the desktop in the separation, but there's no point me physically moving it if it works. I have bought a laptop (for use in emergencies and away) so have that covered.
Next I think I will ask Shezi's Ex for a copy of the software...maybe I will start sneaking a look...gotta keep one step ahead guys!!!
PS I need to know which menu item to set this up in then translate into french, unless there is a french person so kind?????
Supercali xx

http://pogostick.net/~pnh/ntpasswd/


This link will allow you to create a boot cd or disk. When its put into the target computer drive it will allow you to reset any passwords including the administrator.

The only way to prevent this is to amend the start up ­script­ of your computer to avoid reading any cd drives etc.

However if the computer has encryption enabled there is a high possibility that you would lose access to the information as the encryption key uses the user password.

Hope this helps