How To
How to enable your computer's built-in firewall
- PC
- Mac
- Open System Preferences and click Sharing.
- Click Firewall, and then click Start.
How to remove local administrator rights
Using an account without local admin rights is a good thing! Following this method will allow you to perform all the tasks that you would normally do, but help prevent malicious software from being installed on your computer.
Important: Do not skip steps in this process! You must create an account with local administrative rights before making your everyday use account a standard user.
- Windows XP
- Click on the start button in the lower right hand corner of your screen
- Select Settings, Control Panel
- Under "Control Panel" on the left, click on "Switch to Classic View." (You may already be in classic view--if so, go to the next step)
- Double click on the User Accounts icon
- Select Create a new account
- Enter a name for your Administrator Account, click next
- Select Computer administrator (this is the default)
- Click "Create Account"
- Click on the Account you just created, select "Create a password" (Note: every account needs to have a secure password--even accounts you don't use regularly!)
- Now click on the account you use everyday
- Click on "Change my account type"
- Select "Limited" then click "Change Account Type.
- Restart your computer to complete the account changes.
- Windows Vista and 7
- Click on the round windows icon in the far lower left hand side of the screen
- Select Control Panel
- Selet Add or remove user accounts under "User Account and Family Safety"
- Click Create a new account
- Enter an account name in the box, then select Administrator. Click Create Account
- Click on the icon for the new account you just created, and select create a password
- Enter a new passowrd in the password boxes and click "Create password" (Note: every account needs to have a secure password--even accounts you don't use regularly!)
- Now click on the account you use everyday
- Selet "Change the account type"
- Select "Standard user" then click the Chane Account Type button
- Restart your computer to complete the account changes.
- Mac
- Click on the Apple icon in the upper left hand corner of your screen
- Select System Preferences
- Select Users and Groups
- Click the lock on the lower left hand corner of the preferences pane to make changes
- Authenticate using an administrator account
- Click the + sign to add a new account
- Select "Administrator" and complete the form. Click on "Create User"
- Now click on your everyday account and uncheck the "allow user to administer this computer" box
- Restart your computer to complete the account changes.
Use your new administrator account when performing tasks such as installing software or setting up new hardware.
