Computer Admin question.

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My brother is immature and when he doesn't get his way he likes to blackmail me or do something that will cause me annoyance.

This instance. he created an administration windows account, places a message on my computer that says

Message Service
'Message from PLACE to WORKGROUP'
'Remove the barbecue from my house'
He left a doc in the recent document that opens up and says pretty much the same.

And its in the windows task manager as a constant loop while he disabled and limited me using my computer to the basics, can't install or uninstall, check the calendar and other things I'm sure.

What I'm wondering how can I change back the admin status and remove this so I can use windows without the admin restrictions short of reinstalling windows.

Been busy with work and after a party I had I left the bbq at his place instead of taking it back to parents. While he drops by his parents all he needed to do was take the van and walla. He knows parent wants it back by Christmas anyway, he went and got it now. Yet didn't change my computer back.

My brother likes controlling me, I remove him from fb and he takes no notice of it for 4 months and all of a sudden he's jealous and saying that I burn bridges. Well yeah you think, who likes being emotionally blackmailed all their lives, being used to do his stuff for him all the time and get even more stuff to do for him as reward if I help. And soon as I ask for something his hands are tied. A few good deeds doesn't cover a lifetime of misuse. I've just closed the door so he stops using me. Then he starts giving me presents, that didn't work then he blackmails me.

 

[Factotum]

Download the ntpasswd bootdisk and reset his admin account's password so you can log into it. I haven't tested this, though.

 

[Halla74]

Little Tyrant!!!

How old is he?

My older brother used to kick my ass when I bothered him, and it worked really well. I gave him space after a wallopping. :yim_rolling_on_the_

 

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Download the ntpasswd bootdisk and reset his admin account's password so you can log into it. I haven't tested this, though.

Thanks for the idea. Say how do I password protect my computer so he can't log on and do this again.

I backed up relevant data and reinstalled, seemed easier. My windows was starting to be buggy without my brother adding his crap onto it. Am good to go again.

 

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Little Tyrant!!!

How old is he?

My older brother used to kick my ass when I bothered him, and it worked really well. I gave him space after a wallopping. :yim_rolling_on_the_

Yeah he's been like that with me all the time, I'm a doormat and sick of being treated like shit.

He's 35 and the same ass as always. He bought an xbox 360 and a wide screen at his place to get me to go round his place but I've been so busy and uninterested, his way of getting attention and when he loses the power he does stuff that isn't funny nor brotherly.

Which means he's lonely and drops by to stir shit up and then he's happy. nvm his personal and social life are poor.

 

[Factotum]

Thanks for the idea. Say how do I password protect my computer so he can't log on and do this again.

I backed up relevant data and reinstalled, seemed easier. My windows was starting to be buggy without my brother adding his crap onto it. Am good to go again.

Vista
XP

Or you set a BIOS password, how to do that depends on the computer, though.

 

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Thanks Factotum.
I did that for the XP I installed and it was easy to do.
Yes I might need to set a bios password, my brother is in IT as a computer specialist. I'm worried if he gets angry he'll do something to mess my computer up now he can't access my computer or he'll find a way to bypass the pass I put on now through bios if its possible. How do I make a bios password, is it as easy as the xp pass. Thanks for your help.

 

[LeafAndSky]

I put a password on my account too, but even if you have that, you also need to password protect Safe Mode or someone can get on via that route. Maybe that's what you guys meant by BIOS password, I'm not all that computer literate, just getting there . . . Just be sure to write down that password!

Also, I got an anti-spyware program from Best Buy when going through a contentious divorce, Web Root Spy Sweeper. (Although, I understand there are free programs that are good.) People can get on your computer by sending you an attachment that downloads a program if you click on it. Also they can put a box between your keyboard and computer, get your passwords, so I used to check for a box periodically too. I was concerned about passwords and keylogging software. And I encrypted or password protected files from my attorney and other personal documents. My ex is a computer professional, but not with personal computers, with the really big ones.

I don't know how far you want to go with this!

I'm sorry about your family dynamics. It's very hard sometimes to decide how to handle controlling people in your life.

 

[vince]

Thanks Factotum.
I did that for the XP I installed and it was easy to do.
Yes I might need to set a bios password, my brother is in IT as a computer specialist. I'm worried if he gets angry he'll do something to mess my computer up now he can't access my computer or he'll find a way to bypass the pass I put on now through bios if its possible. How do I make a bios password, is it as easy as the xp pass. Thanks for your help.

a BIOS password is the best physical protection. The second the PC boots up it's gonna ask for the pass. Even before windows in other words.

It's easy to do depending on the brand of BIOS/motherboard. Once you boot the PC a black screen and a bunch of white info pops up. It should say something like press "DEL" to enter setup, or F1, F2 anyone of those keys. Once you're in the BIOS menu you should find an option to set a BIOS pass, save and quit. good luck.

 

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^ I didn't know that you can change so many options in the bios, I changed the Bios pass. Will feel a lot more content now. Thanks Vince.

 

[vince]

keep it mind that anyone can still change stuff if the PC is already running. to control the user accounts and the respective admin/user privileges check the control panel for user accounts. or put a password lock on your screensaver/standby options.

 

[nanook]

my approach to solving this problem would be to understand what he did. i google for things like "message prank" and maybe i find stuff that may or may not be related, like this. once i understand the intrusion i would know how to undo it. (i am asuming your brother is not hacker, but someone who learned how to do this by stumbling upon such instructions.) "while he disabled and limited me using my computer" - this sounds like he may have put more effort in it. i didn't understand your admin/login issue, sorry.

 

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keep it mind that anyone can still change stuff if the PC is already running. to control the user accounts and the respective admin/user privileges check the control panel for user accounts. or put a password lock on your screensaver/standby options.

So very true Vince, when my PC is running my brother can change stuff. That is a good idea, screensaver pass, I will do that too. Thanks.

Nanook I meant that my brother reduced my windows privileges and left a message that stayed as a message every time I used windows. Which slowed everything down, disabled the sound, install/uninstall functions, calendar view etc and spammed me with a message like a troll.

I reinstalled the system since it was faster for me than trying to find what he did to cause the issue. Plus I learned how to password my windows which I hadn't needed to do before until he started messing with my system. And I didn't know there are so many ways to change the system till now.

 

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Ooh had a tiff with my brother. He hates being wrong, as an INTJ my brother has to be superior. I tell him when I get to the ego truth his reaction will be the angriest. He then draws on the past and that I need to respect him, to respect my elders. Then he makes threats and says he'll have to teach me a lesson. Then I say just like you respect your mother right? I say until you respect me how can you be a good brother to me?

 

[ubiquitous1]

Did you try the "system restore" option prior to reinstalling windows? If not, it can be a handy feature to use if something like this happens again. You can access "system restore" through programs->accessories->system tools choose the system restore option. As far as the notes go, I actually do this to myself. I create little to do lists and make them load when the computer starts, all so I can ignore them. Anyway, under programs there is a start-up folder and I drag documents into this folder that I want to launch on start up. I am not sure that this is what he did though. It's too bad that he is doing this kind of stupid crap at his age. Also, do you have the your settings so that a password has to be entered prior to the initial boot sequence, i.e. prior to windows loading? Your brother will be able to get past the windows password easily. However, if a password is required before windows loads then you should be safe. It would probably be too much of a pain for your brother to reset the BIOS password.

 

[vince]

I'm not sure if system restore actually resets user account changes. Could be.

Why don't you give Microsoft Family Bond Restore a try It seems like the easiest way.

 

[ubiquitous1]

I'm not sure if system restore actually resets user account changes. Could be.

Nope, I tried it oh well.

Why don't you give Microsoft Family Bond Restore a try It seems like the easiest way

but I think he'll need to use Microsoft Lobotomy on his brother, then Microsoft Family Bond Restore. .

 

[millerm277]

One note for you: If your brother is actually tech savvy enough, he'd know that if you reset the CMOS (bios), it generally erases the password too. That's usually controlled by a button or jumper on your computer's motherboard. Therefore, you would also need a lock on the computer case to fully "secure" it.....or just change the locks on your freaking house, just saying...

 

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^ or I'll just have to move the fuck away to another residence.

Yes he does have a degree in Computer Science. He did say that to me that he needs to teach me a lesson out of some inane principle to respect your elders. I hope he gets more kidney stones, hahahaha I hope it fucking hurts like it was meant to. He couldn't stand it and got operated on removing a 5mm stone recently, aww I wanted it to naturally leave his body...