Password-Protecting Your Computer

It's prudent to password-protect your user account, especially if you have private or confidential documents that you don't want other users to access. It's also essential to password-protect a laptop computer if you travel with one. To create an effective password, refer to the advice in the "Passwords" section earlier in this chapter.

To password-protect your user account

1. Open the Control Panel.

2. Click User Accounts.

3. Click Change an Account.

4. Select your user account.

5. Click Create a Password.

6. Type in the new password.

7. Confirm the new password by typing it in a second time.

8. Create a password hint.

9. Click Create Password.

There's no easy way to access Windows XP if you forget a password. To prevent being locked out if you forget your password, create a password reset disk:

1. Insert a blank floppy disk into your floppy drive.

2. Open User Accounts in the Control Panel.

3. Click on your account name .

4. On the left side of the window, under Related Tasks, select Prevent a Forgotten Password.

A wizard will walk you through the process of creating a password recovery disk.