What can an adminstrator of a computer do???

I have never set up my computer that way, but for those that have what can an administrator do as far as control over other users? Can they track what a user has done on the computer and what their passwords is?

I assume you're talking about a Windows user with Admin priviledges.

If you're talking WinXP, then the user account you setup during install is automatically an Administrator. The account named "Administrator" is just the system default account with admin privileges, but with XP all users have admin privileges by default, unless you go and downgrade them.

Administrator privileges means you have total control over the entire box, you can see/edit/delete all users' files (unless they're encrypted), including their cookies and temp files if they didn't delete them. You can edit the registry, install drivers and other low-level software, etc. You can't see their passwords but you can reset them.

[quote32972e2bea="dmorris68"]I assume you're talking about a Windows user with Admin priviledges.

If you're talking WinXP, then the user account you setup during install is automatically an Administrator. The account named "Administrator" is just the system default account with admin privileges, but with XP all users have admin privileges by default, unless you go and downgrade them.

Administrator privileges means you have total control over the entire box, you can see/edit/delete all users' files (unless they're encrypted), including their cookies and temp files if they didn't delete them. You can edit the registry, install drivers and other low-level software, etc. You can't see their passwords but you can reset them.[/quote32972e2bea]

Ya, I meant XP. I know that if there is only one user, they are automatically the administrator. Can the Admin track things such as IM conversations?

just install deadAIM and have it log convos, and thats how u can keep track ;)

You need Windows Server 2003 do really track people. Or you can use a keylogger if you just want to steal passwords. I made my sisters account a non Admin so she can't fuck up her computer anymore...