Protect your PC

Before connecting to the network you must protect your PC from viruses (with current anti-virus software), run regular system updates and change a number of security settings as advised below. Note: this is automatically applied on student PCs and staff managed desktops.

Protect user accounts

Password protecting user accounts helps prevent malicious software accessing your data.

Setting passwords

Windows Vista: all user accounts
  1. Click the start button, Control Panel and select User accounts, Manage user accounts.
  2. In the list of users, highlight your username and click Reset password,
    entering your password when prompted.
  3. To finish, click OK and OK again to close the window.
Windows XP: Administrator account password
  1. Click Start, Run.
  2. Type control userpasswords in the box that appears, & click OK
  3. Select the Administrator username, and click Reset Password. You will be prompted to set a new password.
  4. Ensure the box next to “Users must enter a username and password to use this computer” is ticked and click OK.
Windows XP: All other user account passwords
  1. Click Start, Control Panel
  2. Open User Accounts and select the user account for which you would like to set a password.
  3. Click Change My Password or Create Password.You will be prompted to enter a new password
  4. Click Change, then No to make private
  5. Repeat steps 2, 3 and 4 for each user account.
Mac OS X
  1. Click Apple menu, System Preferences, Accounts (in the System section of the window).
  2. Click on an account name to select it; click the Change Password/Password Reset button:
    - if asked for your old password enter your current password in the box
    - enter a new password in the New Password box, verify it below, and click
    Change Password/Password Reset.
  3. Repeat step 2 for each account you need to set a password on.
  4. Click the red cross (left-hand corner of the window) to save changes and close the window.

Disabling the guest account

You must be logged in as an administrator to disable the guest account. This is not applicable for Windows Vista or Mac users.

Windows XP
  1. Click Start, Control Panel.
  2. Click User Accounts.
  3. In the " User Accounts” window click Guest.
  4. Click Turn off the guest account.
Windows 2000
  1. Click Start, Control Panel (if you can’t see it, try Settings then Control Panel).
  2. Click Users and Passwords, then select the Advanced tab.
  3. In the Advanced User Management window, click Advanced.
  4. In the Local Users and Groups window, click the Users folder.
  5. Right-click the Guest account and select Properties.
  6. Under the General tab, select the Account is Disabled checkbox. Click Apply and OK.