The new forums will be named Coin Return (based on the most recent vote)! You can check on the status and timeline of the transition to the new forums here.
Please vote in the Forum Structure Poll. Polling will close at 2PM EST on January 21, 2025.

Changing my Win7 login from admin to standard

Peter PrinciplePeter Principle Registered User regular
edited March 2011 in Help / Advice Forum
I want to start loggging in as a standard user - not an admin - on my Windows 7 box at home for security purposes (i.e. when browsing so potential malware has fewer permissions to work with). Of course, I've been logging in and putting things in My Documents and installing games and apps as under this admin account, so I guess there might be some permission problems with that.

What are the advantages & disadvantages of the following options?

a)Make a brand-new admin account then turn my current day-to-day/admin account into a standard user?

b)Leave my admin (and current day-to-day use) account as-is and then make a new, standard user account that will then be for day-to-day use?

c) Another option I may be missing?

"A man is likely to mind his own business when it is worth minding. When it is not, he takes his mind off his own meaningless affairs by minding other people's business." - Eric Hoffer, _The True Believer_
Peter Principle on

Posts

  • Nakatomi2010Nakatomi2010 Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Create a new Admin account, demote your current admin account to Standard, and turn on User Account Control.

    With UAC on you'll need admin credentials to install anything. So in the event of a malware infection trying to get in, you'll get prompted for the credentials you create in the other account. As a whole it's pretty safe. It's what most businesses do.

    Nakatomi2010 on
    Check out me building my HTPC (NSF56K) (Updated 1-10-08)
    Movie Collection
    Foody Things
    Holy shit! Sony's new techno toy!
    Wii Friend code: 1445 3205 3057 5295
  • Peter PrinciplePeter Principle Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Should I set UAC to "always notify"?

    Peter Principle on
    "A man is likely to mind his own business when it is worth minding. When it is not, he takes his mind off his own meaningless affairs by minding other people's business." - Eric Hoffer, _The True Believer_
Sign In or Register to comment.