XP guest account

[r50cheapskate]

This may be a naive question, but to me a computer is a very personal thing. I have guests coming for two weeks, and they're flying 12 hours to get here. I hate, I say HATE, the idea of other people using my computer, but I don't see how I could reasonably expect them to go to cafes just to check e-mail.

The question is: How secure is the "guest" account in XP Pro? I tested it and it allowed me no access to private drives, but I don't trust it. Two of the guests are teenagers. (No need to say more - major risk) Should I just say "bring your own computer or rent one" or should I trust them?

[GomJabbar]

I have a limited user account set up on my T-42, for my kids, when they need to use it. A guest user account has even more restrictions. Like you, I'm not really crazy to let others use my laptop, but I do (let them). You could always buy a cheap used computer to let your guests browse the web. But I don't think you'll have any problem if you practice 'Safe Computing'. See what I posted in the link below:

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=13180

[r50cheapskate]

Thanks. I practice all those and more. My reservations are that 1) the teenagers won't (especially via IM), and 2) they'll find a backdoor into my private stuff. Most of my friends have spare laptops for guests (usually old ones they've retired but kept). I think I'll get a good, used, older Thinkpad, since all any guest should need is basic web.