Protecting Win XP Pro from kids !!

  • Thread starter Thread starter Neil
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Neil

Hi All,

Another dead Win XP has the kids pinned as the likely culprits...

Apart from setting up the kids as 'user' level, what is the best
(os) method for protecting the OS against two kids under 10 ?

Thanks,

Neil
 
Neil said:
Hi All,

Another dead Win XP has the kids pinned as the likely culprits...
Click to expand...
[-]
.... it was *always* us kids then ...
Apart from setting up the kids as 'user' level, what is the best
(os) method for protecting the OS against two kids under 10 ?
Click to expand...
[-]
A second XP installation on the same disk? If there's enough space
left you may, using some partitioning software perhaps, create a second
primary partition and install XP there again.

Ideally you've two XP partitions, another partition for your applications
and another for all the data and using Microsofts deployment tools you can
create an installation disk that does all by itself if or just use some
imaging software.

Cheers,
Juergen
 
Neil said:
Hi All,

Another dead Win XP has the kids pinned as the likely culprits...

Apart from setting up the kids as 'user' level, what is the best
(os) method for protecting the OS against two kids under 10 ?

Thanks,

Neil
Click to expand...


Adult supervision.

--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having
both at once. - RAH
 
Neil said:
Hi All,

Another dead Win XP has the kids pinned as the likely culprits...

Apart from setting up the kids as 'user' level, what is the best
(os) method for protecting the OS against two kids under 10 ?

Thanks,

Neil
Click to expand...

Frankly, there's very little an adult can do to protect a computer from
smart kids. Get them their own cheap & cheerful computer and don't let them
touch yours - create limited user accounts for them, do whatever else you
want to try to control access (local computer & Internet), but don't be
surprised if the clever little tykes manage to mess it up anyway.
 
Change the file protections so they can only affect stuff in and under
their home directory.
 
Neil wrote on 28-Oct-2004 5:24 AM:
Hi All,

Another dead Win XP has the kids pinned as the likely culprits...

Apart from setting up the kids as 'user' level, what is the best
(os) method for protecting the OS against two kids under 10 ?
Click to expand...

As Lanwench said, a really cheap computer works just fine for Internet,
email and chat. Not for serious gaming. Let them use the game console
for that. But do protect that computer as you would your own and warn
them of the dangers of peer-to-peer networks and free screensavers as
well as masquerading in chat rooms. Tell them that if their computer
gets hosed it gets put back to factory condition, so they either backup
or lose their data. (Most kids only use ephemeral communications and
don't mind losing their data.)

If that isn't feasible, make them limited users so they can't install
anything, make sure your Windows Updates are up-to-date including SP2,
enable Automatic Updates, enable the firewall unless you have a
cable/DSL router protecting you, and double-check your anti-virus. Then
use an IE protector like www.pivx.com or www.prevx.com and a prophylatic
like SpywareBlaster to innoculate IE against known bad extensions.

Even then, don't trust this computer with your financial data or
valuable pictures or paid-for music downloads.
 
Hi,

Kid proofing the comp is almost impossible. Only thing to suggest is have
them as a limited user, if your using XP Home. If your using XP Pro, then
you can have them as a basic user, then going through the permissions and
local policies, lock them out of key programs and files that can harm the
computer. As other advise, don`t save anything important on it. If you
have files and stuff you want to save, either burn it to a CD or use a
external hard drive that you can put in a safe place when your not using
the PC.

Jeff
 
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