- Messages
- 102
- Location
- Santa Monica, CA
So an administrator of a Windows 8.1 machine has access to everything-but-everything; and I think I understand the purpose of the three tier user types:
- Built-in Administrator (elevated - hidden by default)
- Admin-User (not elevated – default Windows account)
- Standard-User (no admin rights – best for day-to-day use)
However, what I do not understand at all is why/when/how this security architecture affects files outside of the User-&-MyDocuments secured domain – particularly older files from an XP environment on an external drive.
When I connect said older external drive, and move files around here and there, occasionally I'll be challenged as Admin-User. (wut?...) All I have to do is hit [Enter] and I'm moving right along. ???
1.) How does having to hit [Enter] without satisfying a password challenge increase file security for an external drive?
2.) Is there any chance I'm “hosing up” a perfectly fine old archive of files by somehow shuffling in file-level security, or directory-level security (or any-level security) on an external NTFS drive?
3.) What *is* the security at the User-&-MyDocuments level? If a machine BSODs, and I have no choice but to boot from say a Linux live-DVD and try to USB out some recent data before I reinstall Windows 8.1 – in THEORY – everything in, say, C:\Archive (and external X:\Archive), is totally free and clear of Windows access security; regardless of who created/copied/moved it. Only MyDocuments directories are protected. Right?
UBCD is old-school – but with UEFI, and who knows what else in Windows 8.1 - what is the best USB/DVD/CD emergency boot method [name and version number please] to get [presumably] encrypted data out of MyDocuments? I'm not going to want to “fix” anything OS so I don't need a heafty toolbox. If a machine hoses I'll reinstall from scratch. I just want to be sure to be able to get my data out. (<In my best dramatic pose> “My intellectual assets.”)
I'll gladly make a boot drive/disc using just Windows too. I have a Lenovo tower with the OEM partition (and access to a Yoga with same - so that begs the question if tablets require different methods - I expect not, but better to ask) - and I also have the 32-bit and 64-bit install discs (copies.)
Q.#3 then = What's the A, B, C's to create [.."best"] bootable drive/disc for 8x?
Thank you for your time.
(Edit: Mistake - I don't have the Windows 8 install discs. I only have Windows 7 (32&64) install discs. The latter may or may not be useful for a 8x boot disc.)
- Built-in Administrator (elevated - hidden by default)
- Admin-User (not elevated – default Windows account)
- Standard-User (no admin rights – best for day-to-day use)
However, what I do not understand at all is why/when/how this security architecture affects files outside of the User-&-MyDocuments secured domain – particularly older files from an XP environment on an external drive.
When I connect said older external drive, and move files around here and there, occasionally I'll be challenged as Admin-User. (wut?...) All I have to do is hit [Enter] and I'm moving right along. ???
1.) How does having to hit [Enter] without satisfying a password challenge increase file security for an external drive?
2.) Is there any chance I'm “hosing up” a perfectly fine old archive of files by somehow shuffling in file-level security, or directory-level security (or any-level security) on an external NTFS drive?
3.) What *is* the security at the User-&-MyDocuments level? If a machine BSODs, and I have no choice but to boot from say a Linux live-DVD and try to USB out some recent data before I reinstall Windows 8.1 – in THEORY – everything in, say, C:\Archive (and external X:\Archive), is totally free and clear of Windows access security; regardless of who created/copied/moved it. Only MyDocuments directories are protected. Right?
UBCD is old-school – but with UEFI, and who knows what else in Windows 8.1 - what is the best USB/DVD/CD emergency boot method [name and version number please] to get [presumably] encrypted data out of MyDocuments? I'm not going to want to “fix” anything OS so I don't need a heafty toolbox. If a machine hoses I'll reinstall from scratch. I just want to be sure to be able to get my data out. (<In my best dramatic pose> “My intellectual assets.”)
I'll gladly make a boot drive/disc using just Windows too. I have a Lenovo tower with the OEM partition (and access to a Yoga with same - so that begs the question if tablets require different methods - I expect not, but better to ask) - and I also have the 32-bit and 64-bit install discs (copies.)
Q.#3 then = What's the A, B, C's to create [.."best"] bootable drive/disc for 8x?
Thank you for your time.
(Edit: Mistake - I don't have the Windows 8 install discs. I only have Windows 7 (32&64) install discs. The latter may or may not be useful for a 8x boot disc.)
Last edited:
My Computer
System One
-
- OS
- Win 8.1
- Computer type
- PC/Desktop