Desktop Security Settings

Windows Vista

Contents

• Password-Protect All Accounts on your Computer
• Disable the Windows Vista Guest Account
• Disable Unnecessary System Services
• Disable File and Print Sharing

Password-Protect All Accounts on your Computer

  How to Set or Change User Account Passwords

1. Click Start.
2. Click Control Panel.
3. Double-click User Accounts.

If you already have a password, to change it, follow these steps:

1. Click Change your password.
2. Type your current password.
3. Type a new password in both blank fields.

If you need to create a password, follow these steps:

1. Click Create a password for your account.
2. Type a password in both blank fields.

For any other accounts on your computer, you will need to follow these steps:

1. Click Manage another account.
2. When the User Account Control dialog box appears, click Continue.
3. Select a user account and follow the steps above to set or change a password.

Disable the Windows Vista Guest Account

This action prevents users without an account on your computer from logging in remotely or locally.

1. Click Start.
2. Click Control Panel.
3. Double-click User Accounts.
4. Click Mange another account.
5. When the User Account Control dialog box appears, click Continue.
6. If the Guest Account is turned on (it only notes if it is turned off), click Guest Account.
7. Click Turn off the guest account.
8. Close User Accounts.

Disable Unnecessary Services in Windows Vista

Faculty/Staff:  Make sure you do not need any of these services before disabling them.
Contact the Help Center, or if your department has computer support personnel (CITAs), please check with them first before completing this step.

1. Right-click this link and select 'Save Link as...' and save the file to your desktop.
2. Right-click DisableServicesVista.bat and click Run as administrator to execute.
3. When the User Account Control dialog box appears, click Continue.
4. Press any key to continue as prompted (once at the beginning and once at the end).
5. The window will close automatically.
6. Restart the computer.

Disable File and Print Sharing

Faculty/Staff: Make sure you do not need these services before disabling them.
Contact the Help Center, or if your department has computer support personnel (CITAs), please check with them first before completing this step.

Students: The University recommends that all items listed under Sharing and Discovery should be set to off.

1. Click Start
2. Click Control Panel.

3. Double-click Network and Sharing Center.

4. The Sharing and Discovery portion of this window lists whether you have File Sharing or Printer Sharing turned on or off.

5. To change your sharing status, click on either File Sharing or Printer Sharing and click to turn it On or Off, then click the Apply button.

6. When the User Account Control dialog box appears, click Continue.

7. Repeat as needed.

Last updated: July 18, 2007
Comments or Questions
For more information: IT Help Center
Copyright © 2007, University of Delaware