Once you've created a user account, password-protect it to keep other users from
viewing your files, Favorites, and cookies. Why? You may not want your child to see
the note that you're sending to his or her teacher, or you may be planning
someone's surprise party. (Note: Anyone with an Administrator account can still see
them.)
Worried about remembering your password? Create a hint to help you when you
initially create it by following the prompts during setup. XP stores the password hints
in the Registry at Hkey_local_machine\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current
Version\Hints.
What if the hint doesn't help? Any user or Administrator can create a password reset
disk, which you can use to log on and create a new password. Go to Control Panel >
User Accounts and select "Prevent a forgotten password" in the Related Tasks box on
the left. Follow the wizard's instructions. After creating the disk, find a safe place for
it. Don't forget the password or where you put the disk. Someone else could use it to
change your password without you knowing it.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Show yourself
Only the Administrator can set up new user accounts (go to Control Panel > User
Accounts > Create A New Account). You can select a picture to identify the account.
When you're logged on to the system under your username, this picture, along with
your username, peeks out at you from the top of the Start menu. There are a slew of
48x48-pixel bitmap images to choose from within XP. They're housed in
D:\Documents And Settings\All Users\Application Data\Microsoft\User Account
Pictures\Default Pictures. But why limit yourself? You can also copy any graphic you
want into this folder or browse for another from your hard drive. Usable file types are
BMP, GIF, JPEG, or PNG. However, always use a square picture, to limit the white
space on the side. Your image can be any size but will be displayed as 48x48-pixel
image, so a close-up works best.
Accounts > Create A New Account). You can select a picture to identify the account.
When you're logged on to the system under your username, this picture, along with
your username, peeks out at you from the top of the Start menu. There are a slew of
48x48-pixel bitmap images to choose from within XP. They're housed in
D:\Documents And Settings\All Users\Application Data\Microsoft\User Account
Pictures\Default Pictures. But why limit yourself? You can also copy any graphic you
want into this folder or browse for another from your hard drive. Usable file types are
BMP, GIF, JPEG, or PNG. However, always use a square picture, to limit the white
space on the side. Your image can be any size but will be displayed as 48x48-pixel
image, so a close-up works best.
Missing Administrator account
Once you have created regular user accounts, the default Administrator account
vanishes from the Welcome screen, which you see when the computer starts up.
Press Ctrl-Alt-Delete twice at the Welcome screen to retrieve the standard logon
dialog. You can log on as Administrator from here. To switch among accounts, just
click the Log Off button on the Start menu. You'll then see the Log Off Windows
dialog box. Click the Switch User button, and you'll be taken to the Welcome screen
where you can select and log on to other accounts.
vanishes from the Welcome screen, which you see when the computer starts up.
Press Ctrl-Alt-Delete twice at the Welcome screen to retrieve the standard logon
dialog. You can log on as Administrator from here. To switch among accounts, just
click the Log Off button on the Start menu. You'll then see the Log Off Windows
dialog box. Click the Switch User button, and you'll be taken to the Welcome screen
where you can select and log on to other accounts.
Multiuser features
Like Windows 2000, but unlike Windows 95, 98, and Me, the ability to log in multiple
users simultaneously plays a big role in Windows XP. There is a default Administrator
account set up when Windows XP is first installed, but you can create as many
accounts as you need later, depending on how many people will be using the
machine. Each user, once he or she has an account, can customize XP to his or her
liking. Individual users get their own subfolders in the Documents And Settings
folder; this folder serves as a centralized location for most personalized information,
such as the Start Menu, Favorites, and Documents settings.
users simultaneously plays a big role in Windows XP. There is a default Administrator
account set up when Windows XP is first installed, but you can create as many
accounts as you need later, depending on how many people will be using the
machine. Each user, once he or she has an account, can customize XP to his or her
liking. Individual users get their own subfolders in the Documents And Settings
folder; this folder serves as a centralized location for most personalized information,
such as the Start Menu, Favorites, and Documents settings.
Safely Remove Hardware Icon?
If you have an USB device attached to your system, you will notice an icon in the
Notification area, which - when clicked - will give you the option to Stop your
hardware, before you unplug it.
It is possible that you never unplug this hardware. So how do you get rid of the icon?
As far as I know the only way is to right-click the notification area, and selecting
Properties. Under the Notification area heading, click Customize. Find the Safely
Remove Hardware icon and select Always hide in the Behavior column next to it
(press OK and Apply to back out).
Notification area, which - when clicked - will give you the option to Stop your
hardware, before you unplug it.
It is possible that you never unplug this hardware. So how do you get rid of the icon?
As far as I know the only way is to right-click the notification area, and selecting
Properties. Under the Notification area heading, click Customize. Find the Safely
Remove Hardware icon and select Always hide in the Behavior column next to it
(press OK and Apply to back out).
Stop Password Expiration
After you have run Windows XP for a while, you may receive this message when you
log on: "Your password will expire in 14 days.....".
By default, Windows XP is set up with passwords which will expire after 42 days. 14
days in advance, Windows will start warning you of this fact. If you do not want your
passwords to expire:
1. Go to Start > Run and in the Open: box type control userpasswords2
2. Select the Advanced tab in the User Accounts window
3. Press the Advanced button below the Advanced user management header
4. Select Users in the Local Users and Groups
5. In the right pane, right-click the user name for which you want to change the
setting, and select Properties
6. On the General tab, check Password never expires
7. Click Apply and OK (all the way out)
log on: "Your password will expire in 14 days.....".
By default, Windows XP is set up with passwords which will expire after 42 days. 14
days in advance, Windows will start warning you of this fact. If you do not want your
passwords to expire:
1. Go to Start > Run and in the Open: box type control userpasswords2
2. Select the Advanced tab in the User Accounts window
3. Press the Advanced button below the Advanced user management header
4. Select Users in the Local Users and Groups
5. In the right pane, right-click the user name for which you want to change the
setting, and select Properties
6. On the General tab, check Password never expires
7. Click Apply and OK (all the way out)
Use the Address Bar to Launch Programs or Web Pages
Windows XP Professional enhanced the functionality of the Address bar to make it
easier to launch your favorite programs. You can add the Address bar to the taskbar
on the bottom of your desktop. Then you can launch programs simply by entering
their names in the Address bar. For example, to launch Calculator, simply enter calc
in the Address bar. Anything you would normally enter in the Run box on the Start
menu can be entered in the Address bar. The Address bar also lets you quickly go to
any Web page you specify.
To add the Address bar to the taskbar:
Right-click an empty area on the taskbar.
Point to Toolbars, and then click Address.
Open the Address bar by double-clicking it.
easier to launch your favorite programs. You can add the Address bar to the taskbar
on the bottom of your desktop. Then you can launch programs simply by entering
their names in the Address bar. For example, to launch Calculator, simply enter calc
in the Address bar. Anything you would normally enter in the Run box on the Start
menu can be entered in the Address bar. The Address bar also lets you quickly go to
any Web page you specify.
To add the Address bar to the taskbar:
Right-click an empty area on the taskbar.
Point to Toolbars, and then click Address.
Open the Address bar by double-clicking it.
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