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Windows XP Home User Management an

Windows XP Home Edition is the replacement for Windows95/98/ME, which

a real User Management and security system.
Although Windows XP is based on the Windows NT4 and Windows2000 tech
the XP Home Edition has only a limited User Management compared to the W
Professional Edition, but it is introducing the concept of a "Computer Admini
who is entitled to configure the system, while regular users are limited.
Select in the Control-Panel : "User Accounts"

All Usernames defined during the installation of Windows XP are by default g

"Computer Administrator", while when you create a new User Account from
select the account to be "Computer Administrator" or a "Limited Account".

Use in the top-left corner in "Learn about" the link to "User Account Types" :

A "Computer Administrator" is allowed to do everything :

- install programs and hardware
- make system-wide changes
- access and read all non-private files
- create and delete user accounts
- change other people's accounts

while a "Limited" user is not allowed to install any new hardware, change the
can not create new User-accounts, can only (like also the Administrators) :
- change your own picture
- create, change or remove your own password.

(note : the "Limited" account is on Windows XP Professional defined as being member

You can implement some control over your system by being the "Administrat
users (like the children) will be "Limited" users. But to enforce that, you will
password to prevent other people to logon as "Administrator", because the us
during XP installation are defined without a password : Double-click in the "U
on the user(s) having "Computer Administrator" rights (or click/select the user a
"Change an Account" ) :

Select to "Create a password":

Type a new password, Type the new password again to confirm (to check for
and also enter a "password hint" for you to remember it (in case you forget it :
to forget passwords, if they do not have to use them regularly).
Important : While username are not case-sensitive, passwords are case-se
You can change the type of an Account for a selected user/account :

use the link to : "Change the account type" :

allowing to change a "limited" account to a "Computer administrator" and a

"Computer Administrator" rights (maybe created already during XP installati
account.

What is the impact of using a "Limited" account ?

In th
Net

(or r
the d

AW
and
Prop
con
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com

A "Limited" user is NOT able to create a new Connection (like a modem or A

to the Internet), this has to be done as "Computer Administrator"

If you have only one user defined with a password, then no Logon screen will
Once multiple users are defined (or only one user with a password), Windows
on startup the Logon screen :

You MUST identify yourself, first by selecting the Username by clicking on it

having to enter the password for the user account.

The Help information about the d

Account types showed for a "Lim
no permission to "install software

I am not sure about that : I had no

as "Limited" account to install W

Summary :
Compared to Windows95/98/ME, the introduction of the "Computer Adminis
is a nice enhancement, although the User Management of the XP Home Editio
compared to User Management in the XP Professional Edition.

I check
"Admin
"Comp
no adva
as on X

(and als

If you n
then the
good ch
the XP

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