How to stop others using computer?

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2cruise

How to stop others using computer?

Post by 2cruise »

Hi Everyone,
I have just been given this old computer with Linux loaded on,so will feel my way around it as time goes by.Never used Linux before ,so should be interesting
However I would like to "lock" the computer so others cannot get into it when it is switched on ....so that when it is switched on I need to type in a password before I (or anyone else) can proceed.
Is there a simple way to do this please ?
Thanks for any (simple) advice
Last edited by LockBot on Wed Dec 28, 2022 7:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Topic automatically closed 6 months after creation. New replies are no longer allowed.
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catweazel
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Re: How to stop others using computer?

Post by catweazel »

Go into the machine's BIOS and see if it accepts a BIOS password.
"There is, ultimately, only one truth -- cogito, ergo sum -- everything else is an assumption." - Me, my swansong.
lmuserx4849

Re: How to stop others using computer?

Post by lmuserx4849 »

2cruise wrote:Hi Everyone,
I have just been given this old computer with Linux loaded on,so will feel my way around it as time goes by.Never used Linux before ,so should be interesting
However I would like to "lock" the computer so others cannot get into it when it is switched on ....so that when it is switched on I need to type in a password before I (or anyone else) can proceed.
Is there a simple way to do this please ?
Thanks for any (simple) advice
Everything is simple, once you know how or have done it once or twice :-)

Linux is the operating system. Linux Mint (which is where you are now :-)) is a distribution. A distribution is any number of people, in some legal form, that develop, customize, maintain, and incorporate other system and application open source software, which when put together become a linux desktop (or server). There are a number of linux desktops: kde, cinnamon, mate, gnome. Here is Linux Mint at Distro Watch, notice the line: Desktop: Cinnamon, GNOME, KDE, MATE, Xfce. The reason I bring this up, is that in order to give the best response, knowing what desktop you are using is helpful.

Here is a general response, assuming you are running a Linux Mint distribution, with some desktop (cinnamon, mate, xfce, kde). Yes it can be done. Do you login now with a userid and password? If so, just don't tell anyone your password? They'll be stuck on the logon screen.

If you see a list of users, that list can be hidden. If you are auto logged in, that can be changed. The answer to your question, I believe, centers on the logon screen.

Here's the simple/specific part:
Once you are logged in, the desktop should have an icon in the lower left-hand corner. This is the main menu. This is the starting point to find applications. There should be a "System Settings". This is where you are going to control and configure your system (at this time). The next items are all within the "System Settings". There is a "System Info" button that will tell you more about your environment, including desktop. There is a "Users and Groups" that is where you control who can use the system and other permissions. You should see your id in this list. "Login Window" is where you control the login window.

Take a look at the "System Setting", and if you have a specific question, ask.

Some good reading material:
  • Official Linux Mint Documentation. Look at the PDF that is specific to your desktop.
  • Although this book is for Debian, Debian Handbook, it'll cover many Linux topics. Linux is not Windows. Linux is not Mac. It is closer to Unix. Linux and distributions are built on open source software and in that spirit, it is very collaborative, open-minded, expressive, experimental, customizable, and user-oriented.
  • A lot of Linux users like using the command line (vs GUI) and shell scripts, here's a super helpful book The Linux Command Book.
  • Even better, the Linux Foundation has a course, "Intro to Linux". It's free unless you want the certificate and is self-paced.
Last edited by lmuserx4849 on Sat Dec 16, 2017 11:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Pierre
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Re: How to stop others using computer?

Post by Pierre »

you should also be able to goto:
- Menu - Control Center - Administration - Users and Groups
from there, click on your PCs name that you are using, and then on Password: Asked on Login - Change

& there, you should be able to set a Password for your machine.
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Please edit your original post title to include [SOLVED] - when your problem is solved!
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lmuserx4849

Re: How to stop others using computer?

Post by lmuserx4849 »

Pierre wrote:you should also be able to goto:
- Menu - Control Center - Administration - Users and Groups
from there, click on your PCs name that you are using, and then on Password: Asked on Login - Change

& there, you should be able to set a Password for your machine.

Is the password really for the machine or the user? I've never heard of setting a password for the machine (unless it is in the bios). I'm going to have to look that one up :-) Linux is a multi-user OS and many user ids can be created. If I look at Linux Mint 18.3 Cinnamon, and go to Menu -> System Settings -> Users and Groups, I see two tabs "Users" and "Groups". There is only 1 user, me. If I click on it, I can see the account type, password, and groups that I can belong to. 2cruise should make sure a password is set for his userid. If you search this forum, there are a number of password questions... usually wanting to do the opposite, like Login without password

2cruise should also check the "Login Window" and click the "Users" tab. He should make sure "Allow guest sessions" is off.
Last edited by lmuserx4849 on Sun Dec 17, 2017 4:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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catweazel
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Re: How to stop others using computer?

Post by catweazel »

lmuserx4849 wrote:catweazel should also check the "Login Window" and click the "Users" tab. He should make sure "Allow guest sessions" is off.
I don't need to check anything because I'm not the one asking for a solution. The OP stated a password was required when the machine is switched on, which is what BIOS passwords are for. There is then no need to change anything in linux.
"There is, ultimately, only one truth -- cogito, ergo sum -- everything else is an assumption." - Me, my swansong.
davidmedin

Re: How to stop others using computer?

Post by davidmedin »

What you are looking for is full-disk encryption using LUKS or equivalent.

It prompts for password before accessing the disk, so even if someone tries booting into passwordless root mode via Grub they will not be able to modify your system without the decryption key.
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catweazel
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Re: How to stop others using computer?

Post by catweazel »

davidmedin wrote:What you are looking for is full-disk encryption using LUKS or equivalent.
Good grief. The OP has no linux experience.
"There is, ultimately, only one truth -- cogito, ergo sum -- everything else is an assumption." - Me, my swansong.
pbear
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Re: How to stop others using computer?

Post by pbear »

2cruise wrote:I would like to "lock" the computer so others cannot get into it when it is switched on ....so that when it is switched on I need to type in a password before I (or anyone else) can proceed.
Is there a simple way to do this please ?
To do this is very simple. Click on Menu. For each version of Mint, there is somewhere on the Menu a "lock" button which does exactly what you've asked for here. Where you'll find the button depends on the desktop (in future, do please include that in your question), but it's there somewhere. Alternatively, Ctrl-Alt-l (that's a lower-case L) also will lock the screen.

The topic question, by the way, is much broader and more complicated, which is why you're getting complicated answers.
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Pierre
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Re: How to stop others using computer?

Post by Pierre »

typically, if you are that serious about password protection,
- then you would set Two Password - - one in the PCs BIOS & one in the Operating System, for the User.
that combination, alone, is more than sufficient to stop most other people, from using your machine.

since the OP is already using an Linux System, which has a password already set,
but maybe still set to auto-log-in the User, as an convenience to the end User.
- it's this auto-log-in, that needs to be removed, so that the password has to be typed, on every access to the machine.
if it has been set to auto-log-in - that is.
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Please edit your original post title to include [SOLVED] - when your problem is solved!
and DO LOOK at those Unanswered Topics - - you may be able to answer some!.
lmuserx4849

Re: How to stop others using computer?

Post by lmuserx4849 »

catweazel wrote:
lmuserx4849 wrote:catweazel should also check the "Login Window" and click the "Users" tab. He should make sure "Allow guest sessions" is off.
I don't need to check anything because I'm not the one asking for a solution. The OP stated a password was required when the machine is switched on, which is what BIOS passwords are for. There is then no need to change anything in linux.
Sorry about that... when I scrolled to get the original post, I missed it. I updated the text.
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Re: How to stop others using computer?

Post by JerryF »

catweazel wrote:
lmuserx4849 wrote:catweazel should also check the "Login Window" and click the "Users" tab. He should make sure "Allow guest sessions" is off.
I don't need to check anything because I'm not the one asking for a solution. The OP stated a password was required when the machine is switched on, which is what BIOS passwords are for. There is then no need to change anything in linux.
+1
lmuserx4849

Re: How to stop others using computer?

Post by lmuserx4849 »

I tried to find a youtube video that might be helpful to you. I am making a couple of assumptions: that linux mint is being used, the desktop is either cinnamon or mate, and the issue has something to do with user and password. If it is an old computer, it is more likely to be Mate. The video below is how to create a new user, but it will show you the menu and apps we are talking about. Sometimes the visuals help. The video author is using an older version of Linux Mint, but it is basically the same today. In the video, rather than go to System Settings, the author goes directly from the Menu, to Administration, to Users. I'm not saying create a new user, but this is the same place you would modify/change a user.

How to create a new user in Linux Mint
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waehiTIuOFI

You might want to talk to the person that gave you the old computer with linux on it. Boy that was nice of them :-)
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JerryF
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Re: How to stop others using computer?

Post by JerryF »

lmuserx4849 wrote:I tried to find a youtube video that might be helpful to you. I am making a couple of assumptions: that linux mint is being used, the desktop is either cinnamon or mate, and the issue has something to do with user and password. If it is an old computer, it is more likely to be Mate. The video below is how to create a new user, but it will show you the menu and apps we are talking about. Sometimes the visuals help. The video author is using an older version of Linux Mint, but it is basically the same today. In the video, rather than go to System Settings, the author goes directly from the Menu, to Administration, to Users. I'm not saying create a new user, but this is the same place you would modify/change a user.

How to create a new user in Linux Mint
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waehiTIuOFI

You might want to talk to the person that gave you the old computer with linux on it. Boy that was nice of them :-)
This is great, but doesn't pertain to the original question:
2cruise wrote:...However I would like to "lock" the computer so others cannot get into it when it is switched on
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majpooper
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Re: How to stop others using computer?

Post by majpooper »

WOW! how to make something that is "too easy" complicated and scare away someone new to linux.

Catweazel and JerryF are spot on - listen to the OP's question for heaven's sake.

Q: " I would like to "lock" the computer so others cannot get into it when it is switched on"
A: "Go into the machine's BIOS and see if it accepts a BIOS password." (I've never noticed one that didn't)
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