password protection on windows XP

does it exist? what I need is something that will require the administrators password or mine for doing something, in this case i need it for blocking them from using CMD and etc, I found a detailed thread in how to do it, involving a program called UAC, and i'll go ahead and quote the post:

"As an alternative, you can stay an admin user and configure UAC to always require a password when escalated privilege is needed. You can set that by running "secpol.msc" and under User Account Control, set the behavior for admin users from "prompt for consent" (click ok) to "prompt for credentials" (require a password)."

but I have no idea what UAC is. does it exist for windows XP? thanks

 

UAC is "User Account Control" for Vista and 7, not XP. Secpol.MSC on XP opens the local security policy editor which allows you to lockdown the system for user control. You can lockdown the system even as far as disabling the start menu, the run command, task manager,etc.. Do some research before playing around with this or you can even lock yourself down on the PC. I suggest usual a virtual PC for testing before going live on a security policy.

 

LOCKDOWN or password protect..?

 

screwing with UAC in an uneducated manner (or screwing with the GPO which will likely be your next stop) can lock you machine up in such a way that no one will be able to get in (including you) or even cause the machine to become permanently unbootable requiring an OS re-load.

be careful and make sure that YOU (not an advisor) understands EXACTLY what you are doing. Someone can advise you, but if the worst happen, YOU will be the one stuck with an unusable machine.

 

I just want to know how to password protect running programs and etc, not lock things down.

 

I have never found a free one, but there are programs you can purchase, like:

Program Protector - Password protect Windows programs and applications