a couple questions

[SuperGenius]

***1.

Is there any way to change the default browser for a single account only in XP? I tried once and the change was applied to all acounts.

***2.

My sister uses filesharing programs, and I want to get rid of them. I could do this easily enough, but then she would just go and download them again. Is there a way (XP again) to keep these programs off my computer entirely?

[Cervantes]

1.) Don't know.
2.) Talk to her!

[md]

1) don't know how, but i'm sure there's a way
2) restrict her priviges so she can't install anything, and get rid of them

[wtd]

Cornflake wrote:

2) restrict her priviges so she can't install anything, and get rid of them

At the very least make sure she has a non-administrator account. You should already be using separate accounts, for privacy reasons if nothing else.

Install Linux. Tell her it's the new Windows.

[SuperGenius]

unfortunately, she's evil so she a.) won't listen to me and b.) will raise hell if i mess with her account.

[brenn]

You could use this as an excuse to get yourself a new computer, hereby solving both problems ^_^;;;;; (Doesn't actually have a productive solution to either question)

[wtd]

SuperGenius wrote:

unfortunately, she's evil so she a.) won't listen to me and b.) will raise hell if i mess with her account.

If she won't listen to you, and won't make any changes, then why the issue?

She's screwed then. All of the useful suggestions in the world don't mean squat to someone who ignores them.

As for yourself, if you're forced to share a computer with this person, then there's not much you can do, short of getting your own.

[[Gandalf]]

Block the ports needed by those file sharing programs - then she won't know whats going on .

[SuperGenius]

[Gandalf] wrote:

Block the ports needed by those file sharing programs - then she won't know whats going on .

yes!!! a good solution!

however, i want to keep Azureus for myself, locked away in my account. Does BT use the same ports as other programs? (she uses WinMX and LimeWire i think)

[SuperGenius]

sorry for the double post.

[md]

Blocking ports might not even matter as many protocols don't need to be able to connect to you machine (although that usually improves results). Your best bet is to set teh network connection to be disabled, and then enable it when you want to use the network, although this would obvioulsy cut off all network traffic...

[Hikaru79]

SuperGenius wrote:

[Gandalf] wrote:

Block the ports needed by those file sharing programs - then she won't know whats going on .

yes!!! a good solution!

however, i want to keep Azureus for myself, locked away in my account. Does BT use the same ports as other programs? (she uses WinMX and LimeWire i think)

Azureus has configurable port ranges, so just change it to something else and forward only those ports.
Also, just a bit of definition, NO programs (should) use the same ports as other programs -- if they do, problems occur et al. Having programs have their own individual ports is the reason they exist at all.

[betaflye]

Software firewall with a password, when a non-approved application needs network access you'll need to approve it. I recommend Sygate Personal Firewall or ZoneAlarm.

[rizzix]

Hikaru79 wrote:

NO programs (should) use the same ports as other programs -- if they do, problems occur et al.

I don;t think its even possible.. most mordern os's dont open the port, if its already in use.