I am running Windows XP Home. I have a standalone laptop, no network.



As of now, anyone can start my computer and get it. Windows XP Home has No
login security! I cannot stop anyone from getting into my computer.



I looked at www.download.com and could not find it.



Is there any security software that prompts for a password for login OR AT
BOOT?



Also - access security software for memory sticks!!!



Thanks!

My BIOS has a password, that is what you want. Does your BIOS?


ju.c


"Tom" <jarjoura@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:41XNj.5432$GO4.5241@newssvr19.news.prodigy.ne t...

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Tom wrote:
Windows XP Home *has* logon security - you are just choosing not to utilize
it. I have *no idea* why you would go to "www.download.com" to look for
Windows XP Home Logon Security. heh

Ensure every user on your computer *has* a password assigned to the account.
This will include the built in "administrator" user - for which (being that
you have Windows XP Home Edition) you need to boot into Safe Mode, log in as
the user "administrator" (which probably has no password) and assign one to
that user there.

- Open the Control Panel
- Select User Accounts
- Select your own user account
- Select "Assign Password" (If you already have a password assigned, only
"Change Password" will be available and you can stop this part now.)
- Go through the steps to assign a password to the account - make sure it is
one you can remember. Here are some tips on a 'strong' password:

Passwords should contain at least six characters, and the character
string should contain at least three of these four character types:
- uppercase letters
- lowercase letters
- numerals
- nonalphanumeric characters (e.g., *, %, &, !,

Passwords should not contain your name/username.
Passwords should be unique to you and easy to remember.

One method many people are using today is to make up a phrase that
describes a point in their life and then turning that phrase into their
password by using only certain letters out of each word in that phrase.
It's much better than using your birthday month/year or your anniversary
in a pure sense. For example, let's say my phrase is:
'Great new job in November 2007'
I could come up with this password from that:
'Gr8n3wj0bNOV2007'

After making sure all users now *have* a password assigned to them - make
sure Windows XP knows you want users to have to enter them. Being Windows
XP Home and since you have only one user - Windows XP could just have
decided to let you in (there's only one user available in normal mode - what
are you going to choose from?) You need to tell it you want it to ask for
your password.

- Click the Start button
- On the Start menu click Run
- In the Run dialogue box type ‘control userpasswords2’ (without the quotes)
and press OK
- The User Account properties window will now appear
- Ensure there is a check mark next to the ‘users must enter a user name and
password to use this computer’ option
- Click Apply and/or click OK.

Go through the following 'checklist' Microsoft has available for reaching
some base level of security:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/arc...list/xpcl.mspx

If you wish to set a boot-up password (prior to even being able to load the
operating system - so the hardware itself asks for a password) - you can
most likely do this through your system BIOS. This is *not* a function of
your operating system - this is a function of the hardware and you must
follow the directions given by your user manual on how to get into the
system BIOS (usually a key like F1, F2, DEL, etc - prior to any OS starting
to load at power-on) and (if possible with yout particular computer) how to
assign a boot password.

As for security for data you store on a memory stick, two things:

1) Don't store critical or private data on a memory stick that you carry
around with you freely.
2) Whether or not you break #1, Encrypt any and all data you store on a
memory stick.

For #2 - TrueCrypt is a good solution, IMHO.

Search using Google!
http://www.google.com/
(How-to: http://www.google.com/intl/en/help/basics.html )

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

User Accounts can easily be bypassed. Use a BIOS lock.


ju.c


"Shenan Stanley" <newshelper@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:uoeqVZSoIHA.2160@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

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Tom wrote:
Shenan Stanley wrote:
ju.c wrote:
Thanks for the reiteration...

BTW - since it is a laptop and the whole thing will likely be taken (thus
the hacker will have unlimited physical access) the BIOS password will also
do little to protect your data. The only thing that probably will is
Encryption (being Windows XP Home - TrueCrypt is a choice you could make to
encrypt your entire system drive...)

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

A proper BIOS lock is tied to the Mother Board and Hard Drive. Removing
the CMOS battery or BIOS chip will effectively render the computer a
paper weight.


ju.c


"Shenan Stanley" <newshelper@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:eCk1h%23VoIHA.2160@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

ju.c wrote:
I am unsure what you *think* you mean by "a proper BIOS lock".
Perhaps you should expand upon what you mean by this.

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html