password / computer

[americancritic]

Hello all and yes this is a weird one if someone other then me booted my computer in safe mode can they gain access to the administrator account or change my password, get into my files etc.

I guess I should tell you I am running windows vista home premium 64 bit...


Thanks everyone

 

[Brink]

Hello Tom,

Not very easily if you have the account's password protected. However, a pro will not have any problem doing so.

 

[americancritic]

Hello Brink I hate to say this but I think someone in my family has gained access, there has been logons to the safe mode that I did not do. I did a complete factory restore 4 weeks ago and have not had to go safe mode at all, my fill in the blank I won't say for everyone to see, I have some VERY Valuble infor on my system including a 100,000 word book I have written and of course I have it backed up and at my agent and my better hal well this should tell you no one in my family has read any of it and now well,,,,How do I protect it, can you password safe mode so no one has access from a safe boot. I work so close with my agent and need to have it on my system. They do have a person they know who is a computer genius,,,,,sso I need the best protection there is as far as gaining access to my computer. I do value your opinon so if you know something that would be awesome, Thank You


Tom

 

[americancritic]

Oh Brink are you a PRO that can help stop access...Thanks


Tom

 

[Dwarf]

Hi Tom,

The only effective way to ensure your data is kept private is not to actually store it on your PC, but on a USB memory stick that you keep with you (although that does have its drawbacks - you might misplace it, or have it stolen). Unless the files are actually encrypted, even an extremely strong password will not prevent someone accessing them if they wanted to. All they would need to do would be to boot up into a live version of Linux and access them from that.

 

[americancritic]

Hello what is a live version of Linux and does that work with vista, I guess I don't understand about that. Is there a way to password safe mode as far as entre or bad idea. I can't see myself uploading from a usb all the time, that would be a real pain, we are in the editing and proof reading stage, it took me 2 full years to write this book. Maybe there is something I can do to protect it a little more from snooping eyes until I can get it safe, plus all my legal documents for the book also is in the same files. I need to protect 5 full files and I don't care about anything else...

 

[americancritic]

Sinse I am already done with the book is there a way for me to encrypt it now and if so would it help some as far as security for the files...

 

[Brink]

Tom,

In addition, to help just keep nosey house guests off the computer that may not know what they are doing, enable the built-in Administrator account and password protect it. Be sure that any other user account on the computer is password protected as well, and that you do not have automatic log on enabled.