Windows Tips - Prevent other people from accessing your computer

You can increase the security of your computer by creating a password, called a startup key, to start your computer. You use the Syskey (Sam Lock Tool) program to create the password that you will need to enter to start the computer.

You must be logged on to Windows as a computer administrator to use the Syskey program. Creating a password to start your computer makes it virtually impossible for an unauthorized user to log onto your computer.

In addition, since the Welcome screen that prompts you to enter your Windows account password cannot be displayed without first entering the startup password, a hacker will not have the opportunity to try to determine your user account password.

After you create a startup password, a dialog box will appear when you start your computer, asking you to enter the password. Passwords are case sensitive. When you enter your password, you will need to enter the characters in the password precisely.

For example, if your password is abcdef123456, you cannot enter ABCDEF123456 to start your computer.

HOW TO INSTALL SYSKEY:

• Click Start, Select Run
• Type syskey to start the Syskey program, press Enter or Ok button
  
• Click Update to add additional security to your computer
• The Startup Key dialog box appears
• Click Password Startup (Radio button Selection) to create a password you will enter to start your computer
• Enter Password and Confirm Password
  Note: For the best security, you should choose a password that is at least twelve characters long and contains a combination of letters, numbers and symbols.

The Success dialog box appears, stating that the Account Database Startup Key was changed.

When you start your computer, a Windows Startup Password dialog box will appear, asking you to enter your password. To start your computer, type the password you created and then press the Enter key.

Note: Make sure you do not forget the password required to start your computer. You may want to write the password on a piece of paper and store the paper in a secure location. If you forget the password, you will not be able to start your computer.

How To Remove Installed Password:

If you no longer want to enter a password to start your computer, you can stop Windows from requesting a password.
Again Open syskey and click update, When Password Dialog appears Click the “System Generated Password” option and then choose the “Store Startup Key Locally” option.
Click OK to confirm your changes.
In the dialog box that appears, type the password you enter to start your computer and then press the Enter key twice.
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Preventing Access in Windows

Prevent Access to Command Prompt

This setting also determines whether batch files (.cmd and .bat) can run on the computer.
If you enable this setting and the user tries to open a command window, the system displays a message explaining that a setting prevents the action.
Note: Do not prevent the computer from running batch files if the computer uses logon, logoff, startup, or shutdown batch file scripts, or for users that use Terminal Services.

START > RUN > GPEDIT.MSC > USER CONFIGURATION > ADMINISTRATIVE TEMPLATES > SYSTEM > FIND PREVENT ACCESS TO THE COMMAND PROMPT > RIGHT CLICK > PROPERTIES > CLICK ENABLE > OK REBOOT

Note: This will disable the command for all users including the local administrator. If you want to disable this for specific users only (and for XP Home users) make the change in the registry. Login to the account you want to change and create the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System\
DisableCMD  dword  0x00000001   to disable command prompt and batch files
or
DisableCMD  dword  0x00000002   to disable command prompt but not batch files

Prevent Access to Registry Editing Tools

If this setting is enabled and the user tries to start a registry editor, a message appears explaining that a setting prevents the action.
To prevent users from using other administrative tools, use the "Run only allowed Windows applications" setting.

START > RUN > GPEDIT.MSC > USER CONFIGURATION > ADMINISTRATIVE TEMPLATES > SYSTEM > FIND PREVENT ACCESS TO REGISTRY EDITING TOOLS > RIGHT CLICK > PROPERTIES > CLICK ENABLE > OK > REBOOT