Why you should not run your computer as an administrator

Running Windows 2000 or Windows XP as an administrator makes the system vulnerable to Trojan horses and other security risks. The simple act of visiting an Internet site can be extremely damaging to the system. An unfamiliar Internet site may have Trojan horse code that can be downloaded to the system and executed. If you are logged on with administrator privileges, a Trojan horse could do things like reformat your hard drive, delete all your files, create a new user account with administrative access, and so on.

You should add yourself to the Users or Power Users group. When you log on as a member of the Users group, you can perform routine tasks, including running programs and visiting Internet sites, without exposing your computer to unnecessary risk. As a member of the Power Users group, you can perform routine tasks and you can also install programs, add printers, and use most Control Panel items. If you need to perform administrative tasks, such as upgrading the operating system or configuring system parameters, then log off and log back on as an administrator.

1. Make the User SuperSalon as a Limited User
2. Open up Control Panel. (IN Classic Mode)
3. Open Computer Management

Power Users

The Power Users group primarily provides backward compatibility for running non-certified applications. The default permissions that are allotted to this group allow this group's members to modify computerwide settings. If non-certified applications must be supported, then end users will need to be part of the Power Users group. Members of the Power Users group have more permissions than members of the Users group and fewer than members of the Administrators group. Power Users can perform any operating system task except tasks reserved for the Administrators group. The default Windows 2000 and Windows XP Professional security settings for Power Users are very similar to the default security settings for Users in Windows NT 4.0. Any program that a user can run in Windows NT 4.0, a Power User can run in Windows 2000 or Windows XP Professional.

Power Users can:

• Run legacy applications, in addition to Windows 2000 or Windows XP Professional certified applications.
• Install programs that do not modify operating system files or install system services.
• Customize systemwide resources including printers, date, time, power options, and other Control Panel resources.
• Create and manage local user accounts and groups.
• Stop and start system services which are not started by default.

Power Users do not have permission to add themselves to the Administrators group.
Power Users do not have access to the data of other users on an NTFS volume, unless those users grant them permission.

Caution

• Running legacy programs on Windows 2000 or Windows XP Professional often requires you to modify access to certain system settings. The same default permissions that allow Power Users to run legacy programs also make it possible for a Power User to gain additional privileges on the system, even complete administrative control. Therefore, it is important to deploy certified Windows 2000 or Windows XP Professional programs in order to achieve maximum security without sacrificing program functionality. Programs that are certified can run successfully under the Secure configuration provided by the Users group. For more information, see the Security page on the Microsoft Web site.
• Since Power Users can install or modify programs, running as a Power User when connected to the Internet could make the system vulnerable to Trojan horse programs and other security risks.