Too many laptops are configured with no login panel -- you open the laptop and you are logged into the single account created for the system. Usually that's an "Administrator" account. The risks should be clear when a laptop configured like this is lost or stolen.

• The first user created will be an administrator -- a user who can do virtually anything. You need an administrator account to install software, update the OS, etc. But all Windows systems have a user "Administrator" already -- use the existing account, don't create another one.

• You will have a login panel showing several users if you create another user or remove your first user from the "Administrators" group.

  How? Right click on "My Computer" to "Manage" (also found as "Computer Management" under "Administrative Tools"), select "Local Users and Groups" to manage users and groups -- "User Accounts" on the "Control Panel" is very glossy but very limited.

  Tip: disable all accounts where you don't want to ever see a login.

Information Systems & Technology
University of Waterloo
200 University Avenue West
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1
519 888 4567 x37070

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