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Win 98SE Password

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tinkertech

Technical User
Oct 29, 2002
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How do I install or set up a password in Win98se to keep it from booting up at all. A friend is setting her ISP and doesn't want her children sufing when she is not home. The BIOS don't have this set up.
 
I used Mouse Lock.
Taken from their site -
Mouse Lock is a Windows based application designed to prevent unauthorized use of your computer.

The program simply traps your mouse inside a small button

It's at
Depending on the sophistication of her children, they may figure it out. It should certainly keep out anyone up to the age of 12 or so, but if there is a hacker in the family they will figure it out. You can lock mouse when leaving the computer on, or set it to be locked at startup, until you use a password.
 
Thanks for the tip but its got be better; there are pre-teens and teens we are talking about and if you know teens? well then you will realize its going to take a little more. There has got to be a method for Windows98 to request a password not only to access a network but to access the computer at boot up. Any one else please?
 
You can do this to stop the casual user from getting into your system. They would still be able to get in by booting up in SafeMode though if they are smart enough. I previously used this at work on W98 PCs and it works great.
First have your W98 CD available and do this
Start>Settings>CP>Network. In the “Primary Logon” choose “Client for Microsoft Networks”. After your done installing it and restarting, do this,
Start>Run> Regedit and press enter. Now in the left pane double left click on each one of these.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Network\Logon
Now right click in the right pane and choose New>Binary Value. Name it MustBeValidated
Then right click on it and select Modify. Give it a value of 01 00 00 00
Now restart the PC. You”ll see you can’t get past the logon box no matter what you do.
 
That sounds easy enogh for folks like you and me who know how to get into the regestry but these are simple folks. Will a removable tray be an easier option? I mean, they can always take the hd out when they are not home. How does that sound?
 
instead of taking the hardd drive out take, how is the computer hooked to the internet? high speed? if so take the modem with you or part of the modem., Therefore the computer can still be used for games, and homework., but no internet. Sounds to me that there should be some trust and communication for your family members on how to use the internet responsibly and intelligently. There is a history icon in which you can review where the user has been over a 7 day period. and now lately I see for MSN messenger there is an option of which you can save the messages that were typed for their friends so you can snoop on their conversations. There is also NetNanny availble. Being responsible is good teaching tool for children or young adults to gain the trust of their elders. These tools we use now for granted are for most of us still a novelty. Where in reality these machines will be with us for decades to come and starting at home in the right education is a key to self discipline. ...just my thoughts..
 
Thanks for the thoughts and well taken. My friends connection is highspeed cable modem. I wonder if the ISP has something like a connect on demand type of thing where a password must be entered before the connection is done?
 
Are you sure ther is no option in the BIOS for
"Set Supervisor Password"?.....look again.....alot of the choices have sub-choices.......

I've set it on a 1996 machine "Award BIOS"......I use a Pheonix BIOS.....what's yours? and what year(roughly) is the machine?
 
i am sorry to comment here but i have to second ttodd. There is virtually no 100% solution which a teenager will not find a way round i know because i was one when the internet was new and we hacked into dubious sites just for the fun of it.
Education and information is the way to go here. explaining why certain sites are off limits and reasoning with the children with get you much further than silly programs which are not installed on your neighbours pc anyway. (its not like you own the only pc on the planet. these boxes full of evil are everywhere now:)
I dont want to sound patronising thats why i ask you to remember what you responded best as a teenager...

"Sharing knowledge is a way of achieving immortality"
 
Why not just take the power cord away? :) Or the keyboard? (although a little bulky) or, as I have used here at some point, a little program I wrote way back then, that you'd install in the autoexec.bat, and the first thing that comes up is a request for a password... so unless the kids know how to skip the autoexec/config, you'd be all set.

Cheers,

Realm174
 
Why not just take the power cord away? :) Or the keyboard? (although a little bulky) or, as I have used here at some point, a little program I wrote way back then, that you'd install in the autoexec.bat, and the first thing that comes up is a request for a password... so unless the kids know how to skip the autoexec/config, you'd be all set.

Cheers,

Realm174
 
Thanks for the tip Realm174; the thing is my friend still want the kids to have access to the computer for, like someone earlier said, homework, games, music and stuff like that but not Internet access. I think at this point, my friend has opted to disconnect and lock away the modem until she and her husband are home. That way the kids can still use the pc for their enjoyment. I think the next item for vendor is to create a modem (DSL/Cable) with a key so that mom and dad can have control of it without having to go through the mess of disconnecting things. There is a tip for inventor or engineers. LOL. Thank you all.
 
I've not used cable for the internet (have DSL) so I can't speak for that side but I know that with my DSL connection, I have to provide a user name & password when I connect.

Yes, teens can be ingenious - deviously so - but with a little diligence you can set up a decent password that will be uncrackable by most teens.

I don't agree with NewBudda with regard to "reasoning" with teens. You're not really reasoning with them, you're negotiating. Watch Maury Povich, Sally Jessie Rafael, etc. to see what "negotiating with kids" gets you . If it were me and my only option was to lock the modem away, I'd TELL my teens (yes, I've had 2 of them) that I'd be checking the system to see where they've been on the PC. ANY breach of the rules will result in a complete lockdown of internet privelages.

There's always a better way. The fun is trying to find it!
 
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