Help understanding xp p2 security....

This is my first notebook, and I'm not used to using passwords in my accounts.

What is the best way to setup the accounts on a xp sp2 system that will be used by just me and maybe an occasional guest.

Should I keep/use just the administrator account?

There seems to be too many passwords to remember if I create a user account and not use it much.

Also I am setting the PC up so it clears all my browsing info when I exit fire fox and trying to keep it clean, but what other things can I do to keep the computer secure in case it gets stolen?

(Its a Lenovo z61m)

 

You should be fine if you just use one Admin account and one Guest account. That's only two passwords to remember.
Here's a tutorial on how to set them up:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/winxp/accounts.mspx

I suggest using CCleaner as well:
http://www.ccleaner.com/download

 

There is no password for Guest accounts. You'd need to set up another 'user" account to create a password.

 

By default XP makes 3 accounts. Your account is the only visible.

There's your account, the Admin, and guest.

If you have XPPro you can use control userpasswords2 to set passwords to all accounts then disable them except for yours. However if you use simple file sharing Guest account will have to be enabled but what you can do is just enabled traditional NT style sharing where you can set the attributes.

To see those 2 other accounts just boot in to safe mode and you'll see them as choices. Your OEM might have disabled them.