Guest Account Restrictions

G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin (More info?)

Hi, everyone.

I helped a friend upgrade her PC from Windows 2000 to XP (Pro), and am now
working to set up some accounts for her. She did not create or change any
accounts in 2000, and had been working strictly as Administrator.

XP tells me, "Guests have the same access as members of the Users group by
default, except for the Guest account which is further restricted." I was
surprised to discover that the Guest account on her PC is a Power User!

Is this the result of our having upgraded from 2000? Is the Guest account a
Power User by default in 2000?

Now I'm wondering how I can get the Guest account back to normal. (We may
not even use it, but I'd like to understand how this works, anyway.) If I
just remove the account from Power Users and add it to Guests, will I end
up with an account which is "further restricted", or will it just be
another Users account?

Also, can anyone tell me specifically what the "further restrictions" are?
What can a Users account do that the Guest account cannot?

Thanks very much in advance!

--
Keith
 

Gordon

Distinguished
Apr 3, 2004
1,110
0
19,280
Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin (More info?)

Keith Russell wrote:
> Hi, everyone.
>
> I helped a friend upgrade her PC from Windows 2000 to XP (Pro), and am now
> working to set up some accounts for her. She did not create or change any
> accounts in 2000, and had been working strictly as Administrator.
>
> XP tells me, "Guests have the same access as members of the Users group by
> default, except for the Guest account which is further restricted." I was
> surprised to discover that the Guest account on her PC is a Power User!
>
> Is this the result of our having upgraded from 2000? Is the Guest account a
> Power User by default in 2000?
>
> Now I'm wondering how I can get the Guest account back to normal. (We may
> not even use it, but I'd like to understand how this works, anyway.) If I
> just remove the account from Power Users and add it to Guests, will I end
> up with an account which is "further restricted", or will it just be
> another Users account?
>
> Also, can anyone tell me specifically what the "further restrictions" are?
> What can a Users account do that the Guest account cannot?
>
> Thanks very much in advance!
>
As you have Pro, disable it. It's a security risk. It's used in Home
edition to simplify peer-to-peer networking, but Pro doesn't need it.
(You don't actually need it in Home either, but MS decided that Home
users needed a simplified network setup).
Set up a limited user account and use that for your visitors if you have
any.

BTW, you should NEVER use the built-in administrator account for daily
use. It is your only access to the machine short of a repair install of
XP should any of your user accounts go belly up.

--
Registered Linux User no 240308
Just waiting for Broadband to complete the conversion!(4 weeks and
counting!)
gordonATgbpcomputingDOTcoDOTuk
to email me remove the obvious!