put password before the welcome screen

[daryllsilorio]

Hello.. I just wanna ask.. is there a way that i can put a password before it go to the welcome or in the login screen.. What i trying to do is, i want only me can access the computer or i want other user can't access there account without me..

[patio]

You can use a BIOS password...but you better write it down and put it in a safe place because once you do this if you forget than you'll be out of luck...

[JJ 3000]

What operating system?

[Helpmeh]

You can use a BIOS password...but you better write it down and put it in a safe place because once you do this if you forget than you'll be out of luck...

There are reported BIOS password breaking programs, can you tell me how those work (if they do) (or is a google good enough)?

[daryllsilorio]

im using windows xp pro...

[JJ 3000]

Do you want to create a new user account or just make it so that you have the only account and it will need a password in order to work?

If you just want the one account that has password protection do this:
Go to Control Panel and select User accounts. Now choose Change an Account and select your account (it should be an administrator account). Now you just choose create a password. Do it and reboot.

[BC_Programmer]

There are reported BIOS password breaking programs, can you tell me how those work (if they do) (or is a google good enough)?

you cannot run the program in the first place until after it's booted.

In that case I believe the PW is stored somewhere in memory, or at least in a mapped ROM address.

[james202428]

I don't see why you need i password before logon if you don't want people using your computer at all make a password in control panel and get rid of the guest account so just the administrators account has a password if your worried somebody might try to hack into the administrator account with the guest account
which i think can be done with password programs by what i see on youtube but i don't try these things make a password in control panel get rid of the guest account and you could also make a password in bios  i highly doubt someone will get into your computer without you knowing with a guest account but if you want someone to use your computer make a guest account unless you think the people using your computer will try to hack into the administrators but if you trust some people make a bios password and tell them that so they can use the guest account.    and the people you think are smart enough with computers to do this can't access the guest account to try a password recovery program are stuff like that.

I don't think there's any way to bypass a bios password but i could be mistaken

[BC_Programmer]

I don't think there's any way to bypass a bios password but i could be mistaken

remove the battery/jumper.

[dr_iton]

Yes you can, just take of the CMOS battery (3 V battery)  for a 5 minutes time and replace it. Your BIOS it will be returned by Default.
That means your BIOS passwords are lost.

Cheers. 

[daryllsilorio]

yes thats right by removing the battery is actually reseting the bios correct me if I'm wrong.. or you can change the jumper settings.. its also the other way of reseting the bios..

[daryllsilorio]

I think ill to the option setting password to the bios..
I think there's no other way to put password before
the login screen other than setting the bios password..
Thanks you all for sharing your ideas...

[Boozu]

Well if you have the time you can learn Linux and right a loader or sothing that you put a password in and then it redirects to the main OS (in your case XP). I don't know if that is even possible but it would be cool in my opinion.

[daryllsilorio]

have tried it already..?

[james202428]

I still don't see why you want a password before logon either way someone could hack into your computer just as easily you could make a hidden account were you have to hit control alt delete twice at the logon menu then type the name of the account and the password. why would somebody try to hack something they can't see.   but i do know a way for a hackerproof computer carry the hardrive everywere you go.

the hacker also needs to know the name not just password


I'm not sure if you can delete all the accounts and just keep the hidden one though.