administrative accounts

Heather calls in to talk about a client who got bit by a browser hijack. Leo says the first thing to do is get him off Windows, where he's most vulnerable. If that's not an option, get him to run as a standard or limited user and not an administrator. The browser hijack and malware can't install themselves as a standard user. 

Why does her client keep getting hit over and over? Leo says it's because of his behavior. They keep repeating the same behavior that causes them to get hit. The key is to change the user behavior. That's the only way it will stop.

Rudy has an old computer and he needs to crack the password. Can he do that? Leo says in Windows 7, there is a hidden administrator account that, if enabled, will allow you to get in. Follow the steps outlined here - https://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/enable-the-hidden-administrator-account-on-windows-vista/ or Google "hidden windows account windows 7." Once in, you can change your account password and then log in to it.

Max wants to know if there's a way to reset an account on macOS without destroying the data. Leo says he can delete an account without erasing the data and then recreate it. That should clean everything out. He'll have to be an administrator, and he'll have to make sure he doesn't check the box to delete the data.

Here's a Knowledge Base article from Apple on how to do it from support.apple.com.

He can also reset the password to recover the account.

Mary had to get her son a computer for school and she put herself in as the admin. Leo says that's a very good idea. She can use herself as the admin and her kid as a limited user. There's also a new feature in Windows 10 which would allow her to give them a pin code to install things without having her type in the password.

Does she need MacAfee for her Antivirus? Leo says no. She should take it off. Windows 10 has its own antivirus which is quite good if she keeps it updated.

Jim is using Windows 8.1 and he's being asked to sign in with his Microsoft account. Leo says that both Windows and Apple are now doing that and he finds it annoying. He can set it up without it, but they'll bug him with it. Windows 10, however, will require it. How does that affect running as a standard user? Will he have to have multiple Microsoft accounts? Leo says he doesn't really know. But that's a good issue to bring up.