User Accounts: clone my Admin account in a non-Admin

[Bfskinnerpunk]

I have learned in these forums that it is best to operate in a non-administrative user account on your computer.

OK, so I have spent a lot of time getting my new T61's desktop and browsers set up properly for me.

Is there a way to create a non-admin account that is an exact clone of my admin?

[carbon_unit]

Create a new account and give it administrator rights. Then log into that account and demote your old account to restricted.

[jdhurst]

There are three answers to that (in my opinion):

1. The answer you asked for: Set up another account. Copy My Documents (the whole folder) into the new account. Copy the IE Favourites into the new account. Make note of your icons and remake the icons in the new account. That will come pretty close.

2. Before setting up the new account, copy the admin profile into the default user. Then when you set up the new user, it will look just like the admin profile. You still have to copy documents. Don't do this unless you are very familiar with permissions and user profiles.

3. Consider leaving things the way they are. Use a very strong password (including some special characters), and use a good antivirus/firewall suite. If you don't do silly things, you will be fine. I know what I am doing, AND I use my common sense. I have never been attacked, and I operate with an administrative account all the time because I am always mucking around with changes and updates. ... JDH

[Bfskinnerpunk]

Carbon and JD, thankyou

The easiest solutions are Carbon's and JD's "just use the Admin with a good password and firewall".

I have downloaded a trial of NOD32 antivirus, so now I'm off to find a good firewall. Maybe the NOD32 security suite will be adequate?

[carbon_unit]

Of course if you really want something idiot proof look into Faronics "Deep Freeze". That along with the drive mapping toolwill lock you down so that no changes stick unless you unlock (Thaw) the hard drive before making changes. The drive mapping tool allows you to move folders to an unfrozen partition so applications and documents folder work properly while the windows system remains impervious to change.
I have successfully used this on my T60 with XP. It basically deletes all changes to the frozen partition at every boot. Your Windows system is exactly the same every time you boot. Forget about viruses, they don't stick. Shut off automatic updates because they won't stick either. You can even delete critical system files and when you reboot they are back. You have to thaw to do updates, make changes, etc. They have a trial version that is fully functional for 30 days.

[grayhound_62]

To: Bfskinner:
Be careful with ESET Internet Security suite... its firewall is...hmm, how to say, see firewalls comparison here: http://www.matousec.com/projects/firewall-challenge/

[davidspalding]

I did with my T43 what I have done a couple of times before with great success.

Boot up and set up with an admin account that you won't use personally. Keep the configuration and profile stuff on that account pretty spare. When the system is setup, create my user account with admin privs. Now make the "first admin account" locked down with a very tough password which is written and kept in a firesafe. Start using my user account.

I find that having a pristine, unusued admin/root account with the default software and desktop setup is a nice starting point in case I have to back up my user stuff, then wipe that user and start again.

As discussed, run necessary security/firewall/protection software, and use common sense. If you must play with suspected Trojans, malware, downloaded gizmos, get virtualization software and do it in a virtual.