Resolved Privacy for XP

I am setting up accounts for the family and also a guest account for friends and relatives when they drop in. In doing so I want to make sure they can access games, internet and MS Office but not system files/directories nor my own private file and directories. I've had a look at the MS Share my computer program but this doesn't seem to suit.

Any ideas, suggestions or solutions?

 

The sort of thing you want is built into XP.

XP-home or XP-Pro? Possible with both but easier with Pro.

NTFS or FAT32? More good options with NTFS that simply don't exist with FAT32 but the conversion is easy.

 

what os? makes a huge difference in terms of what u can do w/ permissions to file/folder level.

eg - XP home is not suitable for this out of the box. xp pro is

 

XP-Pro

How do I tell if it is NTFS or FAT as the system was installed when I got the PC.

 

right click the drive in mycomputer and choose props

 

Thought I had XP Pro but its XP home

Sorry Skeet but which tab in properties 'cos it isn't on the general and lookinh through the rest - nothing stands out

 

Nothing like that on my general tab just
System
Microsoft Windows XP
Home Edition
Version 2002
service Pack 2

 

sounds like u'r rcliking mycomputer but i said 'the DRIVE' ... in mycomputer

in any event, if u'r props/general tab sez nothing on file system ... something is amok

w/ XP HOME u don't have granular control as u do on pro but ... as long as u make the users non-admin and just turn on guest - they can't 'do' anything to the system files.

i'd strongly recommend AGAINST guest being 'always on' since it can be used to do privilege escalation. eg - when 'guests' come over and need it, then turn it on. when they leave, turn it off again. this assumes that all accounts have passwords - i certainly recommend that. u can also just create a generic USER type account and assign a standard password that u provide guests.

 

Sorry again Skeet. I found it. NTFS. That keeps them out of the system files, but what about my files and directories?

 

by default, xp will keep others out ... remember that ANY member of the 'admin' group can override anything w/ permissions just by 'take ownership' tho. eg - as long as the 'users' are NOT admin level, u'r safe

should add that, by default, xp add all new accounts as ADMIN unless u say 'no' when creating them. see the option on new account and change the admin level to regular user.

and i believe that xp will 'ask' about 'keep files private?' at account creation ... say 'yes' of course

 

Take a look at This article where you will get some excellent how-to on security XP-home edition.