Resetting the Time and Date

The time and date for your system should be automatically set when you first turn on your computer. If you find that you need to change or reset the time or date settings, all you have to do is follow these steps:

1. Double-click the time display in the Windows Tray (at the bottom right of your screen) to display the Date and Time Properties dialog box.
   
   

2. Select the Date & Time tab; then select the correct month and year from the pull-down lists, click the correct day of the month on the calendar, and set the correct time on the clock.
   
   

3. Select the Time Zone tab; then select the correct time zone from the pull-down list. (For most states, you should also select Automatically Adjust Clock for Daylight Saving Changes.)
   
   

4. Select the Internet Time tab; then check the Automatically Synchronize with an Internet Time Server option. (This automatically synchronizes your PC's internal clock with an ultra -accurate time server on the Internet.)
   
   

5. Click OK when done.
   
   

Setting Up Additional Users

Chances are you're not the only person using your computer; it's likely that you'll be sharing your PC to some degree with your spouse and kids . Fortunately, you can configure Windows so that different people using your computer sign on with their own custom settings—and access to their own personal files.

You should assign each user in your household his own password-protected user account . Anyone trying to access another user's account and files without the password will then be denied access.

There are three different types of user accounts you can establish on your computer—computer administrator, limited, and guest. You'll want to set yourself up as the computer administrator because only this account can make systemwide changes to your PC, install software, and access all the files on the system. Set up other household members with limited accounts; they'll be able to use the computer and access their own files but won't be able to install software or mess up the main settings. Any guests to your household, then, can sign on via the guest account.

tip

There can be more than one administrator account per PC, so you might want to set up your spouse with an administrator account, too.

Only the computer administrator can add a new user to your system. To set up a new account on your machine, be sure that you're logged on via an administrator account and then follow these steps:

1. Click the Start button to open the Start menu.
   
   

2. Select Control Panel to open the Control Panel folder.
   
   

3. Select User Accounts, and then select Create a New Account.
   
   

4. When the User Accounts screen appears, enter a name for the account and click Next .
   
   

5. On the next screen, check either the Computer Administrator or Limited option; then click the Create Account button.
   
   

Windows XP now creates the new account and randomly assigns a picture that will appear next to the username. You or the user can change this picture at any time by returning to the User Accounts utility, selecting the account, and then selecting the Change My Picture option.

By default, no password is assigned to the new account. If you want to assign a password, return to the User Accounts utility, select the account, and then select the Create a Password option.

caution

If you create a password for your account, you better remember it. You won't be able to access Windows—or any of your applications and documents—if you forget the password!