Thursday, September 1, 2011

Simple Tips to Protect Your Computer

Being a common PC user, what would do to protect your computer from viruses, prying eyes and so on? Here are a few simple tips to prevent these things from happening.

Create a strong computer password
To stop unauthorized users from accessing your important computer files and folders, the easiest way is to set up a strong Windows login password for your computer.

Step 1. Open User Account by clicking Start button, Control Panel, Family Safety and User Accounts, User Accounts.

Step 2. Click “create a password for your user account” under Make changes to your account.

Step 3. Type your password, type it again to confirm it, type a password hint and click Create password button.

Tips for the password:
1. A strong password has at least eight characters, uses a combination of numbers, upper and lowercase letters, and uses at least one special character (such as !@#$%^&*).

2. Don’t share it. If you have shared it, discard it and get a new one. And don’t leave it lying around for anyone to ‘borrow’.

3. Change the password on a regular basis to keep your computer more secure.

4. Create a Windows password reset disk to avoid the possible troubles resulted from a lost Windows password.

Other basic computer safety maintenance
Follow the following steps to prevent nasty viruses from infecting your computer.

1. Install a strong anti-virus and anti-spyware software.

2. Keep the software, operating system and security updated.

3. Configure your computer’s built-in firewall to prevent attacks over the internet.

4. Scan USBs and other external devices to make sure they are not infected by viruses and malware.

5. Back up your computer files regularly.

How to Access Windows with User Password Forgotten?

If you have forgotten your Windows login information, the easiest way to access your account is by logging into an administrator account. This administrator account has enough control to fully manage your account, and remove the password. The other option is to use a password reset disk, but this method is available only if you've created the disk beforehand.

Ok, whether you have an administrative account or a password reset disk, you can follow the below steps to easily reset forgotten Windows password.

Reset Password with Administrative account
1. Restart your computer. At the login screen, type "administrator" in the username field. Type the password into the password field; if you have never set a password for the administrator, leave the field blank. Press "Enter."

2.Click "Start," type "lusrmgr.msc" into the "Search" field and press "Enter." Double-click "Local Users and Groups" and select "Users."

3.Right-click your user name with the forgotten password and select "Set Password." Type a new password twice to confirm, the press "Enter." Log out, then log in to your computer using your old user name and new password.

Reset Windows password with a Windows password reset disk
1.Try to log in to your account. When you enter the wrong password, you see a message stating that the username or password is incorrect.

2. Insert the flash drive or floppy disk you created previously.

3. Click "OK," then "Reset Password."

4. Click "Next" to continue through the Password Reset Wizard.

5. Use the drop-down menu to select the removable disk.

6. Enter the new password twice, and use the last box to create a hint.

7. Click "Next," then "Finish," to close the wizard.

8. Log in to Windows using the newly created password.

How to Access Windows with User Password Forgotten?

If you have forgotten your Windows login information, the easiest way to access your account is by logging into an administrator account. This administrator account has enough control to fully manage your account, and remove the password. The other option is to use a password reset disk, but this method is available only if you've created the disk beforehand.

Ok, whether you have an administrative account or a password reset disk, you can follow the below steps to easily reset forgotten Windows password.

Reset Password with Administrative account
1. Restart your computer. At the login screen, type "administrator" in the username field. Type the password into the password field; if you have never set a password for the administrator, leave the field blank. Press "Enter."

2.Click "Start," type "lusrmgr.msc" into the "Search" field and press "Enter." Double-click "Local Users and Groups" and select "Users."

3.Right-click your user name with the forgotten password and select "Set Password." Type a new password twice to confirm, the press "Enter." Log out, then log in to your computer using your old user name and new password.

Reset Windows password with a Windows password reset disk
1.Try to log in to your account. When you enter the wrong password, you see a message stating that the username or password is incorrect.

2. Insert the flash drive or floppy disk you created previously.

3. Click "OK," then "Reset Password."

4. Click "Next" to continue through the Password Reset Wizard.

5. Use the drop-down menu to select the removable disk.

6. Enter the new password twice, and use the last box to create a hint.

7. Click "Next," then "Finish," to close the wizard.

8. Log in to Windows using the newly created password.