User Accounts

User is a person who uses the computer. He has some rights i.e. permissions which limit what he can do to a computer. These rights are controlled by the administrator, in lay man terms, it is the owner of the computer controls these rights.

User accounts are generally classified into 2 categories based on their origin:

1. Built-in - those that are created during the installation itself like administrator, guest user account etc.
2. User defined - those that are created by the user manually.

   These users are classified into 2:

3. Administrator

Users - sub-divided into:

1. Limited user
2. Power user

Administrator:

Administrator is the one who has the highest authority in managing the computers security and user policies. He is considered as the ultimate user who has unlimited powers. He can create, disable or kill user accounts. He can grant powers to specific users or to group of users. He has complete right over installation and user of softwares.

Users:

The one who just makes some benefit out of a computer is called as a user, he doesn't have much control on the rights of a computer policies; he is of 2 types:

Normal user: a person with no rights, just uses the computer to edit, save or create new files, he can just use some programs that are to his rights. He can change his password and save his desktop settings.

Power user: a normal user when granted with some writes by the administrator, is said to be a power user; the rights can be anything from deleting others files till editing the security policies.

Methods for Creating User Accounts:

There are 2 way to create the user accounts in XP and 2003: One way is as follows

1. Right click 'My computer'.
2. Go to 'Manage' option.
3. Select/Expand the 'Local User and groups' in the left hand Tree view control.
4. If you selected it, right click on the 'users' folder in the right panel; if you have expanded it the right click the 'Users' control.
5. Select the 'New user' option.
6. Give a new user name
7. Give the full name
8. Give the description, its optional.
9. Give the password; it might be a complex or a simple password basing on your security policies.
10. Check the 'User must change Password during his next log-in' if you wish the user have to change the password each and every time he logs in.
11. If the above option is unchecked, then the next two options are available for use.
12. Check 'User cannot change password' if you wish that your user must never change the password that you gave him.
13. Check 'Password never expires' if you wish the password that is set now/once will never need to be changed regularly.
14. Check 'Account disabled' if you wish the user must not be able to use the computer.
15. Fill the data and press 'Create' to create the account else select 'Exit' to cancel it.

The other way to create an account it by using the control panel:

1. Go to start menu
2. Press the 'Control Panel' button to access the panel.
3. If your control panel is in classic view i.e. displaying more than 10 icons proceed as said; else press the 'Display as classic view' on the top left of the screen.
4. Double click the 'User Accounts' to open the user accounts box.
5. Select the 'Create a new account' option
6. Type the display name of the new account; the click next
7. Select the power status that is to be given to him; 'Administrator' or 'Limited user'
8. Then click the create account to create the account or just click back to edit/make changes or click the cancel button to exit it.