Vista Tips - Secure the Administrator account

The Administrator account is the most important account on the computer because it has the highest permissions and can do anything it wants to the configuration and settings of your computer.

Securing this valuable account is critical to the overall security of your computer.This can be accomplished by ensuring the account is disabled, setting a strong password, and renaming it so that it is harder for malicious scripts and viruses to try to use.

Doing this is very similar to securing the Guest account as you just did in the Assigning Password on Guest Account.

Follow these steps to protect your Administrator account:

• Click the Start menu, right-click Computer, and select Manage.
• After Computer Manager loads, expand Local Users and Groups and select the Users folder.
• Right-click the Administrator account and select Properties.
• Check the Account is disabled option if it is not already selected. Then, click OK to save the changes.
• Right-click the Administrator account and select Set Password.
• A warning screen will appear, telling you about what might happen if you proceed. Disregard this message and click Proceed.
• When the Set Password window appears, type a completely random complex password that is at least 20 characters long in both boxes and click OK. The new password will now be set.
• Rename the account to confuse any malicious scripts that might be looking for it. Right-click the Administrator account again and select Rename.
• Type a new name for the account that has some random letters and numbers in it. I like to use AdminDisabled2341 as a new name.
• Press Enter and you are finished.

Now both of the built-in Windows Vista accounts are secured.

Ultimate Links PC Tips™

Administrator Account Password in XP Home

In XP Home Edition the administrator account is only accessible from SafeMode. This account have no password by default.

To ensure a more secure system.

1. Turn off your computer.

2. Power on and press F8 just after the BIOS check is complete. Select Safe Mode from the List. Its around the top of the list.

3. On the next page press ENTER.

4. Work you way to the Desktop. Goto Control panel by:
*Clicking on Start|Settings|Control Panel

5. Double Click on Users Accounts

6. Select the Administrators Account from the list.

7. Apply a password.

Then restart the system.

Locking Computer in XP

To lock a computer in XP, as you probably know, you press "L" while holding down "Windows Logo" key on your keyboard. However, if you would like to lock a computer remotely, for example via "Remote Administrator", you don't have this ability.

What you can do instead, is to create a shortcut on remote computer's desktop where

Target %windir%\System32\rundll32.exe user32.dll,LockWorkStation

Start In %windir%

This is a feature to change users but when you lock the system only the administrator can unlock it. This Feature is More Effective at Remote Computers.

Note: Restarting the Computer helps to unlock.