Wife's computer

[Jim147]

So my wife used my Win7 system last weekend.  I didn't get it back for a couple of days.

I got a new hard drive and a copy of Win7 for her this week but I need to see what you all think would be the best way to install it for use by her and the occasional guest.

I have the office so her computer sets in the guest room. It doesn't get used by guests very often but when it does something always seems to get screwed up or they change some of her online settings that screw with her computer at work.

I want to install the OS so that when it gets powered on it goes straight into a "guest" account. But I still need it setup so my wife can very quickly and easily boot into her account that would preferably not be visible to anyone else.

Any ideas?

jim 

[Nick1911]

You know, I was just thinking about this last night.  What are the odds. 

My initial thought:
Set up two accounts, no passwords.

Use a utility like TweakUI (I presume there's a windows 7 equivalent...), to make the PC automatically log into the guest account from cold boot.

When your wife needs into her account, use "Switch user", and select the other (her) account.

Actually, a password on her account is optional.  It'd keep a guest from unintentionally using that account.

[AZRedhawk44]

Create a guest user account.  Leave the password as blank.

Run Regedit.exe

Browse to:

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

Find an entry called "DefaultUserName."  If it doesn't exist, create one.  It's a string value.

Put the name of the guest account in there.

Close Regedit.

Reboot.  The computer will start up and use that logon by default.  Wifey can change to her user account on demand.

[Jim147]

Thanks guys.
I'll give it a try when I get set down this weekend when the snow starts falling.

You know, I was just thinking about this last night.  What are the odds. 

I have some kinda strange urge to go to town to pick up some Killian's. What are the odds?

jim

[BrokenPaw]

Why bother with booting it into a guest account by default?  You said that guests don't use it very often; create a password-protected account for your wife, and a non-password (or, better, simple-password) protected account for guests.

When Windows 7 boots, it will present the two accounts as log-in options.  Your wife can click on hers, enter her password, and be on her way.  The guests that you want using the machine you can give the guest-account password to.  The only account they'll be able to log in to will be the guest one.

There's no reason that I can see for making your wife go through the extra step of switching users every single time she uses the box.

[AZRedhawk44]

Why bother with booting it into a guest account by default?  You said that guests don't use it very often; create a password-protected account for your wife, and a non-password (or, better, simple-password) protected account for guests.

When Windows 7 boots, it will present the two accounts as log-in options.  Your wife can click on hers, enter her password, and be on her way.  The guests that you want using the machine you can give the guest-account password to.  The only account they'll be able to log in to will be the guest one.

There's no reason that I can see for making your wife go through the extra step of switching users every single time she uses the box.

Now you had to go and throw "sensible" into the solution.  Sheesh.

[Tallpine]

Can't you set it up to time out and lock up, and then require ctrl-alt-del and logging in to continue?

That's the way my work laptop is (XP).  I've never tried it on my own machines, but I remember seeing the option somewhere ... 

[AZRedhawk44]

That's set on the screen saver properties.  There's a checkbox for "on resume, display password screen" or some-such.

Problem is, if the wifey's account is logged in and the screen saver password protection kicks in, only wifey or a computer/domain admin account can unlock the machine.  A guest account cannot (at least, it can't if it is set up with security appropriate to a guest account).

[Tallpine]

Well, there's your problem: letting guests use the computer 

[sanglant]

BYODLT and beg to be added to the MAC allow list.

[CNYCacher]

That's set on the screen saver properties.  There's a checkbox for "on resume, display password screen" or some-such.

Problem is, if the wifey's account is logged in and the screen saver password protection kicks in, only wifey or a computer/domain admin account can unlock the machine.  A guest account cannot (at least, it can't if it is set up with security appropriate to a guest account).

Windows still doesn't let two users be logged in at the same time?

[lee n. field]

Well, there's your problem: letting guests use the computer 

Keep a scratch netbook around for guests.

[sanglant]

you can run as, if you have the service running.

Keep a scratch netbook around for guests.

ah, you have found the one remaining use for a 386 laptop with 4 megs of ram. so it's big where are you taking it.

edit: your for you

[lee n. field]

you can run as, if you have the service running.
 ah, you have found the one remaining use for a 386 laptop with 4 megs of ram. so it's big where are you taking it.

edit: your for you

You're cruel, man.  Even Win95 runs like crap in 4MB.  You going to put 3.1 on there, and some ancient version of Netscape?

[sanglant]

hehe, as you can tell. i just believe in bringing your own tools.

[Jim147]

I talked to both of my computer expert guests yesterday.

They both have new laptops. Good for me until one of them drags it down for me to fix it for them.

Now I just need to put a hotel password on my network and they should leave my stuff alone.

I started installing Win7 on the wifes system this weekend but I lost my ISP Saturday afternoon and just got it back about fifteen minutes ago.

jim

 

[Ben]

I'll pipe in for at least some kind of password for a guest account, and don't name it "guest".

[TF_FH]

Here's something simple for default logons that do NOT require 3rd party software, or mucking about in the registry.
Click Start, goto run.
Type in "control userpasswords2"
This brings you to the other user accounts management.  Uncheck the "users must enter a user name and password to use this computer"
It will ask you to set the username and password for the default login, and you should be good. 


Security related note:  I like to do this on my home computer and throw the windows lock command into my startup so the computer starts up and logs on, but still requires a password.  Anyone who knows how to bypass the lock in my start, will most likely have the capabilities to overwrite the password anyway.

[sanglant]

true security(not that i can afford it or am willing to put up with it ) starts at the encryption card. something like this, but i have seen better. pain to bad to hunt it right now, must find dark place.

oh on boot it asks for a password without it the hard drive is gibberish.