How can I limit user rights etc on my computer?

[trinity]

I may be about to receive a family member as a houseguest for a month. While he is nominally an adult, he is also unequivocably an idiot :-) This is not to say I dislike him, just that he either doesn't remember what you told him or doesn't listen. I am putting a long distance block on my phone, because telling him will do NO GOOD, I learned the hard way last time he stayed, 80 dollars later. He starts missing friends or family back in AB and calls them without thinking. With respect to my computer, I don't want him to download ANYTHING. I don't want him to open a SINGLE attachment, because he will open attachments from people he does not know. I have a virus scan program and spyware blocker, but I don't want to backup my hard drive every week he is here just in case he does something. Is there any way I can set up my computer so he can't do any of these things? I can't keep him from using the computer, even if I set it up so it was passworded, with separate user profiles, which I do know how to do, my roommate or I would forget to log off, or he would just outright let him use it when I was at work. He also needs access to the computer to do up a resume and search online for jobs, it would defeat the purpose if all he could do was sit around and not look for work. I am willing to take it to the point where NO ONE in the household can download files or open attachments, is that possible?

[Rickster]

[/quote] I can't keep him from using the computer, even if I set it up so it was passworded, with separate user profiles, which I do know how to do, my roommate or I would forget to log off, or he would just outright let him use it when I was at work. [/quote]
Sounds like you got part of the problem solved if you and your roommate would NOT forget to log off.You also state that your roommate lets him use it while you are at work so I ask, why not give your roommate a slap on the wrist(so to speak) and stress how sincere you are about this and you should have a sticky posted on your monitor reminding YOU to log off ! Other than that you might just as well take the power cord with you to work,LOL.-Rick.:D

[trinity]

The problem remains that he has to be able to use the computer for job search purposes. I just want to limit his abilities to screw up my hard drive with viruses. Is there NO way to set up the computer so that nothing can be downloaded to the hard drive and attachments cannot be opened? If there is no way to do this, then I guess I have to trust that my spyware blocker and antivirus program are as good as they need to be, and get my drive backed up now, because "not let him use the computer at all" was not one of the options. He's going to be staying for a month, sleeping on the couch that is 18 inches away from my computer, I couldn't monitor usage if I tried, I have to sleep sometime.

[adm]

If you are using XP you can setup a security policy to disable downloads (among other things). It all depends on how comfortable you are with the security policy. You will need to create an MMC Console of the 'Local Computer Policy'. Once you have imported this snap-in you can modify the security of the particular user profile or of the computer settings in general. The user profile will work if you create an account for him, but if you are not positive that you and your room mate will remember to log out, place the security template on the computer instead.

Hope this helps (this is what the library does..FYI)

[Dan_Man]

You could always create a new user account with his name and not give him administrative rights.