Computer passwords

[Dabomb18359]

Well I like to have security so no one can get into my computer. I have a login password, one on the setup thing right when you load the computer, and one on the admin account. My brother claims he could still get in by pressing a button before he turns my computer on, but I think that's bogus. Is there anything else (besides going into safe mode) that one can do to get by the simple username password with only one account and no guest account?

 

[vbraun]

I doubt it. But I wouldn't be suprised if M$ but that in as a "feature".

 

[Black_Hole]

theres no button that he could press... however sometimes windows xp creates unneeded accounts, as long as all accounts are passworded he cant do much... however he could reinstall windows, but thats pretty drastic...

 

[taper]

I've heard you can boot in safe mode and get past the login, but I've never tried it myself. I believe that booting a live CD such as Knoppix can get past it too, but again, I've never tried it.

 

[Grisu]

I've heard you can boot in safe mode and get past the login, but I've never tried it myself. I believe that booting a live CD such as Knoppix can get past it too, but again, I've never tried it.

sure, with a live-cd you can access the files on the windows-partition, as long as they aren't encrypted. you won't get into windows itself though...

 

[CruddyLeper]

Ach, there's always a way in. No security is flawless.

 

[funxus]

I guess you could put a bios password on the computer... I think the only way to get rid of it, results in everything getting deleted on the hdd. But I'm not sure. You could encrypt everything you want to keep secret though, Word has this function.

 

[Dabomb18359]

I guess you could put a bios password on the computer... I think the only way to get rid of it, results in everything getting deleted on the hdd. But I'm not sure. You could encrypt everything you want to keep secret though, Word has this function.

1. My bro is no hacker for that matter. He knows basics like how to use Windows and easy stuff that parents don't usually know. He don't know dos or nothing I don't either but that should keep him out.

2. I know you can put a password on Word files and some others like that, but what else (like folders and the stuff inside and any application for that matter) and how can I encrpyt or put a password on. Like can I restrict all ways to get online with a password so even after logging on only I can open that or any type of program/folder/file? Thanks! I'm no computer genius but many here are

 

[Lozzy_Ozzy]

Why do you want all of this?

Is it serious? Because that will determine how far you need to go.

 

[Aphex_Twin]

I guess you could put a bios password on the computer...

Never rely on that unless you have the box of the CPU under strong lock. To beat the bios pass all you have to do is get into the box and disconnect the power source from the mainboard for a couple of minutes.

 

[Souron]

Without a boot disk there is not much he can do.

With a boot disk, there is not much you can do.

 

[kcwong]

BIOS password (admin and user) is one way...

Windows account password is another. However, this only applies for Win NT, 2000 and XP. Win 95, 98 and ME don't have it... guests can create accounts.

And in XP, make sure you have disabled the "Use the Windows Welcome screen" option.

 

[Dabomb18359]

BIOS password (admin and user) is one way...

Windows account password is another. However, this only applies for Win NT, 2000 and XP. Win 95, 98 and ME don't have it... guests can create accounts.

And in XP, make sure you have disabled the "Use the Windows Welcome screen" option.

Why should I disable the welcome screen? And is that just the screen with all the accounts?

Without a boot disk there is not much he can do.

With a boot disk, there is not much you can do.

What exactly is the boot disc? Just the XP disc or something? And what could he do with it?

Why do you want all of this?

Is it serious? Because that will determine how far you need to go.

It's not like I'm scared of him attacking it, but he says he knows some way besides going into safe mode of doing the F1 menu right when you start the comp so I knew you guys here would know more than he knows or pretends to know. Just too much though, like BIOS... I have no idea about that stuff.

 

[Padma]

What exactly is the boot disc? Just the XP disc or something? And what could he do with it?

Well, I don't have an XP disc (and never will). But give me a Knoppix (or any other Linux Live-CD) disc, and let me boot your computer with it in the drive, and I will have all your information in a heartbeat. I can read it, change it, destroy it, whatever. Doesn't matter if you password protect your login or not.

A Boot Disc is a CD (or even a floppy, if your system has one) that can be used to boot an operating system on yor machine. I'm sure even the XP disc has a "DOS" mode of some kind (I think they call it Rescue Mode, or something) that you can use to enter commands to the system.

 

[Strider]

Never rely on that unless you have the box of the CPU under strong lock. To beat the bios pass all you have to do is get into the box and disconnect the power source from the mainboard for a couple of minutes.

Or take the easier way and pop the battery off and then pop it back on. Then you aren't ruining the entire computer while you do it.

As for getting pass the Windows password, it's possible. As many people have said, it's possible if you have a copy of windows. If you put a copy of NTAccess on a floppy and set-it up to boot from a floppy, your get in without having to enter the password also. With NTAccess you can also change the password. If your PC is networked, you can use another PC to access the hard drive using the network ports.

 

[Dabomb18359]

If your PC is networked, you can use another PC to access the hard drive using the network ports.

Well I have a laptop but it's not always on or on the internet. So it's kinda in the network.