Windows XP forum: How do I password protect my computer...

You'll need to get into the BIOS to do this. You'll need to read the PC documentation to find out how to enter the BIOS as all are different. Once there, and you set the password, you MUST NOT forget the password.

anything about your PC, and there are about a gazillion makes and models and operating systems, that's all I can offer. You might make a call to the tech support for the PC and ask them about entering the BIOS.

Anyone who's willing to crack open the case to the system will have no trouble bypassing any BIOS passwords you might put in. It's trivial to do, and only takes a couple of minutes, including tearing the system apart and putting it back together.

There is no reliable way to restrict access to a system using any kind of software (including the BIOS). Biometric scanners can be fooled easily, passwords can be cracked or bypassed (Windows has an intentional back door for resetting the admin password). Controlling physical access to the system is the more fruitful route of attack.

However, BIOS passwords will stop quite a large number of people who don't know that you can bypass it by removing the backup battery. It's just important to recognize this inherent weakness. Just like there's nothing about a BIOS password that stops someone from yanking the HDD, slapping it into another system, or an external enclosure, and having free reign to do what they want.

Since you did not tell us your operating system? I have to give you Windows XP's method. Do not use Bios. Go to control Panel and click on users. You will see your name there as an administrator. Click on new Password. Use a complicated one. Put in some of the following ?/\|]}[{=+-_!,.<>" and some numbers plus some of the alphabet and write it down in a secure place as you probably will not remember it. The reason is that people have programs that work just on finding out passwords. Alphabet passwords are easy and mixed up ones like these are extremely hard to find(from PC Magazine).

What the PC Rag article likely neglected to mention, is that Microsoft included a back door in Windows, for the sole purpose of resetting the admin password if you happen to forget it.

All it takes is a special boot disk, which can be made with pretty much any XP system, and physical access to the system. Someone could then have complete access to the system.

You could also just use a Linux LiveCD distribution like Knoppix. Bypass the passwords and permissions completely, make copies of data at will, there wouldn't be a trace left on the computer.

You could try encrypting the entire filesystem, or even specific parts, but then you risk locking yourself out if you forget the password. It also dings performance quite a bit to have to do all that decrypting and encrypting every time you access a file.

how do i password my computer to provide privacy?

I know good program BioKeyLogon. It's analyze how you type password. And only you can enter correct password. If some one stole you password they can't type it correct. Very easy to recovery you windows password, but not for BioKeyLogon protection .

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