I need help w/password protection on microsoft?

Question

In my son's room (he's 17), we had the computer set up with 3 different user accounts. We had a master account, my personal account, and my son's. My friend set this up and I am really not computer savey (meaning, if you answer, please answer like your walking a 5 yr old through it).

I've had some prob's with him & his computer. He was talking to strangers on my space and going onto p**n cites.., He refuses to understand that there are creeps out there who pose as cute 16 yr old girls.., he even gave out our address. So, We have installed a net nanny.., and my son knows it.., it was our compromise on me not taking it away from him.., but I often forget to check his computer (i have my own in my room) and I'll go weeks without looking.

Well, I went on their today, and the little bugger has somehow changed it so that his is the only name that comes up, and I can't get in there at all because I don't know his password.

Help?! I'm so angry right now I'm about to throw his danged computer away.He worked hard for it so that would make him pretty angry.., but too bad! He won't be home for a few days (he's camping) and I don't want to do tear it up and trash it before I check and see if he's really hiding something. This is a serious saftey issue. How do I get past it? If you let me know you're helping him as much as me because I'm about to destroy that thing.

Answer 1

You didn't mention what operating system it's running, but it doesn't make a whole lot of difference.

Windows XP has some backdoors that are pretty wide open, but you really have to know what you're doing. You need to know how to boot into safe mode and run things from the DOS prompt.

Vista is pretty crack-proof.

My advice would be to ask him for the password and then set up your own administrator account with a password only known by you, and set him up as a user without administrator rights. This will make him angry and it will prevent him from doing a lot of useful things with the computer, but it's really the only way to maintain the type of control you are seeking.

Answer 2

If he is smart enough to get around your passwords AND Netnanny then there is little you can do to stop him doing whatever he wants on a computer.

Solution 1: Move the computer out of his room into a place where you can monitor his computer use.

Solution 2: Turn off internet access ( remove the "modem")

Solution 3: Remove the computer from the house.

Being 17 he is almost old enough to move out and learn responsibility, maybe he should do it a little early.

Answer 3

Hop off your sons nuts.

Just about every teen in the world looks at p**n, and talks to strangers on myspace. While there may be some creeps, not all of them are, in fact, a majority are not.

Stop being such a psychopath and go get a job or something.