looking for security

[Harkoliar]

Okay, here is the background bit (trying to make it short)

I just moved in with my cousins place somewhere here in Aussie (who has 3 kids ) so it aint no bachelor pad anymore for me. And another thing would be Ill be going for holidays for 2 months back in my Home country (Philippines). So, being a nice cousin I am, Im willing to lend my precious computer to my 3 little nephews of course removing all my "non-kiddy" content for them by transfering nearly all of my data to a non-critical back up storage for the time I will be gone. However, this is only a short term solution for me as I will eventually be coming back and I would have to share with them my computer. Now, is there any way, besides locking folders to keep children out of essential systems?

My Plan would be giving them a certain partition for them to use in Windows Explorer as they see fit, while the rest of the system will be under lock and key. Also, limiting them into using only certain programs they can use. This is so they will not be able to tinker with my own stuff. (mind you they are kids)

So I am looking for help if security in Windows Xp is sufficent or is there anybody who knows some good programs.

Another thought occured to me wherein if its possible there be an option for them to use thier own winXP system in thier own small HD (non-partitioned)(I.e. dual windows system), and do the same thing as above where they can only tinker thier own system leaving mine alone (winxp included). It would be difficult in uninstalling that should I need to do so though.

[ 11-18-2006, 09:04 PM: Message edited by: Harkoliar ]

[robertthebard]

I have found that the settings for XP work a lot better than they did in '98, read, not at all. You can set up a profile for them, and include only the stuff you want, and that's all they can access. I did the same when I had some temp room mates not too long ago, so that she could do up some resumes. She could access the programs that I assigned to her profile, and nothing else, including the internet.

[Harkoliar]

Hi Robert [img]smile.gif[/img] Thanks for the heads up but I need more info on how to do this sort of thing as its my first time

First off, I created an account for kids (limited account type). Now, this account has no password and so far, when I checked around, they still have access to programs which they can uninstall, and access to "My Computer" thereby reading all of my data. Any way to disable those?

[robertthebard]

You have to remove the administration priveledges from the profile, I think you can do that when you set it up. I'll try to set up another account on my PC, and see.

[Harkoliar]

hmmm.. trying to find where you can disable somethings alright. But still no luck for me though

[robertthebard]

Ok, I didn't try to uninstall any programs, but when you create the account, there's a little check box for admin priveledges or no. I'm still trying to remember how to assign what actually goes onto their desktop. Memory isn't what it was, but I'll mess around with it, and remember.

[Callum]

You could indeed get a small hard drive for them, and dual boot Windows XP. This will ensure that everything is kept completely separate.

You could also set them up with a separate user account on Windows XP, and modify their permissions. In order for them not to be able to access your documents, you would have to set your folders to be private.

However, this may not be what you want still, as they may not be able to install everything they want on there, and will need an administrator account. Plus everything they install and put on will take up your resources.

A new hard drive would not be very expensive, and it would mean they could do whatever they wanted on their hard drive without affecting anything of yours.

[Harkoliar]

Originally posted by Callum: You could indeed get a small hard drive for them, and dual boot Windows XP. This will ensure that everything is kept completely separate. You could also set them up with a separate user account on Windows XP, and modify their permissions. In order for them not to be able to access your documents, you would have to set your folders to be private. However, this may not be what you want still, as they may not be able to install everything they want on there, and will need an administrator account. Plus everything they install and put on will take up your resources. A new hard drive would not be very expensive, and it would mean they could do whatever they wanted on their hard drive without affecting anything of yours.

dual booting sounds good actually but herein lies the problem, thier windows XP will still allow them to access my hard drive using thier XP windows system.

HOw do you modify permissions?

[Callum]

Something like this program might also work.

Not that that is a recommendation of that particular program, as it was simply the result of a google search, but there are plenty of programs out there, and hopefully some of them are free.

[Felix The Assassin]

Just assign them a user account, and don't give them the root password. They can do as they please within their user profile, but never manage to touch your's, or root.
Oh, wait, you are a windoze user!

Hmm, go spend a lot of money for a program that will do this for you. [img]smile.gif[/img]

As Robert pointed out, create a user profile without Admin rights, they "Will Not" have acces to system resources, but then may not be able to install kiddie programs either. That's just the way 'M$' wants it.

If you figure out how to keep them off of my~space.com let me know!