Re: Newbie question about setting up XP - coming from win98se background

From: niteowl (niteowl_at_NOniteowlproductionsSPAM.com)
Date: 12/18/04 

Date: Sat, 18 Dec 2004 13:43:01 -0500

I didn't realize I was snipping, I thought I was just typing between
your paragraphs... oh well, I'll just top post then..

I think I'm getting this a bit now.. someone else suggested moving the
shortcuts from the "All Users" into the acct where I wanted them, and
that worked sorta.

You brought up somethine else though about the Adminstrative
accounts.. There is more than one? Well, I looked in the windows
explorer and on the C: drive I am showing the following folders:

Local Disk (C:)
        .file_store_32
        +Documents and Settings
                +All Users
                +All Users.WINDOWS
                +Default User
                +Default User.WINDOWS
                +Kalehli
                +LocalService
                +LocalService.NT AUTHORITY
                +Maurine
                +NetworkService
                +NetworkService.NT AUTHORITY
                 niteowl
                +Niteowl.ALLAING
        dwnlds
        +epson
        +Program Files
         RECYCLER
         System Volume Information
        +WINDOWS

The "niteowl" (without the +) folder I can't access, gives me an error
message, saying it is "not accessible, Access is denied" Why?

It appears to me that Kalehli and Maurine are the limited account's
folders, the "Niteowl.ALLAING" is the administrative account, and the
one I use, I think, when I boot up. Is the Default User the hidden
admin acct?

I remember setting up the Niteowl acct as the Admin acct during the
installation, is there another one that was setup without me knowing
about it.. and does it have a password, and if so what it is???? or
how do I access it, and WHY would I need to? If I have an
adminstrative acct, why would I still need another hidden admin acct?

On bootup I show 3 names to choose from on the welcome screen,
Kalehli, Maurine, and Niteowl. Niteowl is password protected, the
others are not.

What is the LocalService and NetworkService stuff?

If I'm "sharing" a drive so I can transfer files to and from other
stations, does that give other users on the same machine access to
them also? I'm just trying to understand the limitations and how the
flow works. In all actuality I probably won't share my working
drives, C: and D:, the file archive storage drives will be fully
shared. These are mainly image and music/media files.

I have Outlook Express setup usually, but only for access to hotmail
accts. which I understand won't be lasting that much longer anyway,
but my default email program is Eudora, moving the shortcut out of the
All Users folder seemed to take care of that issue though.

So, when I put in the new 60G drive, if I partition it to C: and D:
40% and 60%, move the "My Documents" folders to the D drive, leave C:
and D: unshared, can I still setup a specific folder to share anyway
over the my network?

Anyway, my main purpose I guess is to limit my daughters internet
access and limit what progrrams she can use on the system... Since
this is the fastest machine on my network, she'll want to be playing
her favorite online games on this machine when I'm not using it, so
basically yes, I need to limit the adult stuff for her acct. and other
than that she doesn't need to do anything else on my machine. She
does have her own computer and the limitations are enforced so far by
looking over her shoulder occassionally. ;-) I'll need something
better soon though..

I am building another machine for her and will install XP to that one
also, so this is just an interim arrangement for her to be on my
machine, but I do need to understand this anyway as I have taken on
the task of maintaining 50 computers at the new charter middle school
she goes to, and this is all pretty new to me. I thought working with
this at home would help educate me for the schools needs also. I'm
just a volunteer there as the funding isn't available for a hired IT
guy, so we're making do with me. ;-)

I do have a better understanding now, the list of accts above is still
fuzzy, but I'm sure it'll clear up.

Again, thanks for your efforts to educate me. and your patience.

niteowl

On Sat, 18 Dec 2004 10:14:18 -0600, "Jim Macklin"
<p51mustang[threeX12]@xxxhotmail.calm> wrote:

>What you need to remember about XP is that it is a true
>multi-user OS. Unlike W98/ME which did not really work well
>with multi-user accounts and provide security and privacy,
>XP does, by default prevent one user from accessing the
>another users data files (My Documents and email). In W98
>just hitting cancel on the user logon, will boot to a
>default user account and all files and data is readable.
>
>Windows XP Pro has more levels of user accounts and user
>rights control. Using NTFS also improves data security.
>
>When a user creates a file in their account, it is private,
>by default, unless the folder is being shared, even then a
>file on a shared drive can be encrypted and locked with a
>password.
>
>Applications and services may be controlled using XP Pro and
>to a lesser extent using XP Home. So you can have accounts
>with full access (administrator accounts) and limited
>accounts that may have some application unavailable and they
>won't be able to change their own permissions.
>
>Each User Account will have a default My Documents folder in
>the C: drive. Moving these My Documents folders has the
>advantage of isolating the data from a system crash which
>could result in data loss if reformatting and reinstallation
>was required. Moving the files is essential if the drive
>(partition) is small because you need to keep a minimum of
>15% free disk space to allow defrag to run.
>
>You can help us with user accounts setup, security and such
>by saying exactly what you are trying to setup and for whom.
>For instance, You are the administrator and need the default
>administrator (which is hidden when you create the first
>user account) and you need a user account with admin rights
>so you can do required computer maintenance and setup w/o
>screwing up the default admin acct. These accounts should
>have passwords. Then it is good practice to have a limited
>user account for your routine use.
>
>Then you will get to the issue of other users and what they
>need and what you want them to be able to do. Do they need
>to access the Internet, send a FAX, install programs, do you
>want them to have no access to adult sites (your children?)
>and what version of XP you have will determine what you can
>and cannot do.
>
>BTW, don't snip to much, I don't want to have to go back and
>look for your previous posts to see what questions and info
>you have previously posted.
>
>Yes, I would certainly switch to the faster drive, you will
>notice that things happen 50% faster.
>
>When you install a program, by default it will be useable to
>all users ad Windows will put a link to programs in each
>users startup and program menus. But as an administrator
>you can remove access on a user's account by deleting the
>program on that user's account.
>
>In general, programs ARE NOT shared, you have programs
>installed, data is shared.

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