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Managing User Accounts and Logins (Windows Vista)

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Passwords and separate accounts help ensure that information on the computer stays private and secure. The information in this document describes the different account types in Windows Vista, and explains how to change account types and how to save and change passwords.

Administrator, standard, and guest accounts

The Welcome screen shows the accounts (and account types) on the computer. You click an account on the Welcome screen when you log in.
Windows Vista provides three types of user accounts:
  • Administrative accounts can:
    • Change privileges (change Standard to Administrative account), passwords, and system-wide settings, access all files, and install any Windows Vista compatible software, drivers, and hardware.
  • Standard (Limited) accounts cannot install or open certain programs and can:
    • Change the account picture, and create, edit, or delete the account password.
  • Guest account has limited access (similar to Standard account) to computer resources and can:
    • Use certain programs installed by others.
    • Not access personal or password protected files.
    NOTE:Guest must be turned on before using the Guest account. For more information, see Turning on the Guest Account .
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Creating an account

To create an account, log in as the main user (or any user with administrative privileges) and create the account as follows:
  1. Click Start on the task bar, and then click Control Panel .
  2. In Control Panel, under User Accounts and Family Safety click Add or remove user accounts .
    Figure 1: Add or remove user accounts selection
    If needed, enter the Administator password or click confirmation.
    If User Account Control opens, click Continue .
  3. Click Create a new account .
  4. Type the name for the new account, click an account type, and then click Create Account .
The account has been created.
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Adding administrative user privileges

If an account requires administrative privileges, you can log in using any user that has administrative privileges and add administrative privileges to any standard account.
  1. Click Start on the task bar, and then click Control Panel .
  2. In Control Panel, under User Accounts and Family Safety click Add or remove user accounts .
    If needed, enter the Administator password or click confirmation.
    If User Account Control opens, click Continue .
  3. Click the account name to be changed.
  4. Click Change the account type .
  5. Select Administrator .
  6. Click Change Account Type .
The account type has been changed to an Administrator type.
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Changing a password

When an account has a password, the Windows password is used to log in to the computer.
To change an account password when you know the password, log in to the computer using the account, and then do the following:
  1. Press CTRL+ALT+DELETE keys at the same time on the keyboard, and then click Change a password .
  2. Type the current (old) password, the new password, and the new password again.
  3. To confirm, click the right arrow next to Confirm password.
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Saving a password

When you create an account, also create a password reset disk, which you can use to recover a lost password. This procedure requires removable storage media. The types of storage media that can be used are USB storage devices, floppy disks, and flash memory cards. Writable CDs and DVDs are not supported at the time of this writing.
NOTE:You create the password reset disk once per account. You can change the account password but do not have to remake the disk.
  1. Insert a USB flash memory drive into a USB port, a flash memory card (photo memory card) into the memory card reader, or a floppy disk into the floppy drive.
  2. Click Start on the task bar, and then click Control Panel .
  3. In Control Panel, click User Accounts and Family Safety .
  4. Click User Accounts .
  5. In the left pane, click Create a password reset disk .
  6. Follow the instructions to create the password reset disk on the removable media.
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Resetting a lost password

When you forget your password, use the following instructions to create (reset) a password in Windows Vista:
NOTE: If the main administrator password is lost, and you have the Windows Vista Starter, Home Basic, or Home Premium operating system, you can perform a system recovery to reinstall Windows Vista and set up a new administrator password.

With a password reset disk (device)

  1. Log in to the computer, and when you enter a wrong password, you see a message that the user name or password is incorrect. Click OK in the message window.
    A new log in screen appears.
  2. Click Reset password , and then follow the instructions to use the password reset disk.

Without a password reset disk

Use one of the following procedures to reset a lost password using an Administrator account.
CAUTION: If you use an Administrator account to reset an account password, you permanently lose access to any email or encrypted files that are on that account.
NOTE:If the main Administrator account password is lost , and you do not have a password reset disk or you do not have another Administrator account (in Windows Vista Ultimate operating system only), you must run a system recovery to reinstall Windows Vista and set up a new administrator password. You may also be able to find password recovery software from the Internet, but using this type of software is used at your own risk and may cause other problems. Always write down your password and store it in a safe place where it can be retrieved later.
NOTE:You cannot use another (second) Administrator account to reset the password for the Administor account if you have Windows Vista Starter, Home Basic, or Home Premium operating system.

When you can log in as Administrator

  1. Log in to an Administrator account.
  2. Click Start .
  3. Right-click Computer , and then click Manage .
  4. Click Local Users and Groups .
  5. Click Users (a folder).
  6. Right-click the account your need to reset, and then click Set Password .
  7. Click Proceed .
  8. Type the new password, and type the password again to confirm.
  9. Click OK .
  10. A message window opens that reads The password has been set. Click OK .

When you can not log into the main Administrator account (Vista Ultimate)

NOTE:You must have access to another account with Administrator rights to be able to perform these steps.
  1. Turn on or restart the computer.
  2. Press the F8 key on the keyboard until the Windows Vista startup menu appears, and then select Safe Mode .
  3. When the Welcome screen (log in) appears, click Administrator , or the administrator account you will use, and enter its password.
  4. Click Start , and then click Control Panel .
  5. In Control Panel, double-click User Accounts .
  6. Click Manage another account .
  7. Click the account you need to change.
  8. Click Change the password , or Remove the password , and follow the instructions.
  9. Restart the computer.
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Turning on the Guest Account

NOTE:This procedure for the Guest account is not available if you have the Windows Vista Starter, Home Basic, or Home Premium operating system.
  1. Click Start on the task bar, and then click Control Panel .
  2. In Control Panel, under User Accounts and Family Safety click Add or remove user accounts .
    If needed, enter the Administator password or click confirmation.
    If User Account Control opens, click Continue .
  3. Click the Guest Account.
    Figure 2: Guest account off
  4. Click Turn On.
    The guest account is now enabled and appears as a selection from the main login page.
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