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Windows XP Home User Management and SecurityWindows XP Home Edition is the replacement for Windows95/98/ME, which did not havea real User Management and security system.Although Windows XP is based on the Windows NT4 and Windows2000 technology,the XP Home Edition has only a limited User Managementcompared to the Windows XPProfessional Edition, but it is introducing the concept of a "Computer Administrator",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 generated as"Computer Administrator", while when you create a new User Account from here, you canselect 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 accountswhile a "Limited" user is not allowed to install any new hardware, change the network setup ,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 onWindows XP Professional defined as being member of the group "Users")

You can implement some control over your system by being the "Administrator", while otherusers (like the children) will be "Limited" users. But to enforce that, you will need to define apassword to prevent other people to logon as "Administrator", because the user accounts createdduring XP installation are defined without a password : Double-click in the "User Account" screenon the user(s) having "Computer Administrator" rights(or click/select the user and use the link :"Change an Account" ):

Select to "Create a password":

Type a new password, Type the new password again to confirm (to check for errors in typing it)and also enter a "password hint" for you to remember it (in case you forget it : most people tendto forget passwords, if they do not have to use them regularly).Important : While username are not case-sensitive, passwords are case-sensitive !

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 account with"Computer Administrator" rights (maybe created already during XP installation) to a "Limited"account.

What is the impact of using a "Limited" account ?In the Control-Panel, select theNetwork Connection icon:

(or right-click "My Network Places" onthe desktop and select Properties)A Warning is displayed

and when checking theProperties of a Networkconnection, the buttons formodifying the networkcomponents are grayed out.

A "Limited" user is NOT able to create a new Connection (like amodemorADSL connectionto the Internet), this has to be done as "Computer Administrator"You can select at that time, whetherthe Username and password forthe connection will be used byall users accounts on the system.

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

You MUST identify yourself, first by selecting the Username by clicking on it and (if required)having to enter the password for the user account.TheHelp information about the differentAccount typesshowed for a "Limited" userno permission to "install software" :

I am not sure about that : I had no problemas "Limited" account to install WinZIP.

Summary :Compared to Windows95/98/ME, the introduction of the "Computer Administrator"is a nice enhancement, although the User Management of the XP Home Edition is limitedcompared to User Management in the XP Professional Edition.I checked in the Control-Panel in"Administrative Tools" -"Computer Management" :no advanced User Managementas on XP Professional(and also in Windows 2000).

If you need full User Management,then the XP Home Edition is not agood choice, you will need to usetheXP Professional Edition.

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