Booting XP with 2000 Disk

[Psych]

I was mildly shocked when I came upon this old news: Anyone with a Windows 2000 boot disk can gain access to my XP without even giving a password!! Does anyone know if there is a plausible way to prevent this? As a side question, can't something similar to this happen to any OS if you boot up the computer with another one that doesn't use the security settings of the previous one?

 

[CQuinn]

Link please?

 

[imported_Phil]

If you have physical access to a computer, you can do pretty much anything you want. Hell, I could tell you some amusing stories about screensavers being set to dump you into a command prompt, but I'm not going to talk about that here 🙂

The chances of someone actually having the correct Windows 2000 floppy is pretty slim, TBH, and I really wouldn't worry about it. If you want your computer 100% secure, then stick it in a safe, encase the safe with concrete, wrap it in chains, repeat twice and drop it in the ocean.

 

[boran]

make sure no-body knows the location of where you dropped it into the ocean either.

 

[Psych]

Right... I'll be sure to do that, but here's a link if anyone wants it: http://www.briansbuzz.com/w/030213/

 

[Psych]

Right... I'll be sure to do that, but here's a link if anyone wants it: http://www.briansbuzz.com/w/030213/

 

[Abzstrak]

best way is to password your bios, lock you case with a physical lock, and take the floppy and CDROM both out of the boot sequence.

 

[Sianath]

Abzstrak has it. Your computer is never safe if someone has physical access to it, period.