Kids!

I have 2-9yr olds, and a 5 year old. They seem to have a knack about getting yahoo toolbar, weatherbug, and the like installed on their computers. They even seemed to have google desktop installed.

I took a course in Windows 2000 Networking. But I have forgotten much more than I remembered. I plan to reformat and re-install WinXP Pro, and password protect the Admin. Will creating them their own account stop them from installing these bogus apps/malware?

What rights do I take away/give them?

Also, can I make IE or Firefox to where they can't access porn? Or do I need to get a program for that? Any recommendations on the program if WinXP Pro can't handle that?

Incase in matters. We have 5 computers networked. Mine, my Wifes, and the 3 kids.

You should make there accounts limited. I don't know if they can install stuff or not. Also, for firefox you'd probely need a program to block certain sites. I think that is cool that you have computers for all of them. You just have to make 2 accounts, one would be the administrative with a password and the other they could just click on and it would be limited.

Found it: "users with limited accounts cannot always install programs. Depending on the program, the user might need admin. privileges to install it".

I'd go with Kevin's suggestion as well. Limited accounts really suck if you do a lot of installing, but they're not too bad (especially for children). Combined with Firefox, you shouldn't have much trouble at all keeping spyware off the system. I personally use this combination at my house (since I have younger siblings who seem to be spyware magnets ) and aside from a few programs that only run correctly under an admin account (which I just use the "run as" functionality for) it works very well.

JigPu

Yeah, You'll need a third party app to block certain sites. A quick way to disable internut explorer is to add 127.0.0.1 as a proxy under the internet connections settings, just in case someone manages to run it. I'm not too sure if running users in a limited account would stop spyware or not, you'd be safe installing a spyware app like Spybot search and destroy. I use it, it's free and u can set it up to do automatic updating/scanning etc. Pretty handy.

Hey, My name is Kevin as well.

Thanks for all the input. I will implement it all soon, and hopefully it will all work.

You won't be able to filter content using IE or Firefox alone. If you are really serious about protecting the whole network, and being able to control what is downloaded, and what sites are visited look into a Smoothwall firewall. Basically this is an old PC being used as a dedicated standalone firewall and router.

Let me tell you that as your kids grow, or maybe even now, they can fool around with any program installed locally on the computer. It is really just a matter of how determined they are to get through. Also anything actually running on the computer you are trying to protect is susceptable to the spyware and malware you are trying to prevent. With Smoothwall you can scan files and sites before they ever get to the computers.

imo children under 14 should be supervised when they are online.

but i'm sure theres a way via xp to block sites easily. also your router should be able to limit what sites they can access.

Netgear puts out a line of routers that let you do content filtering and such.

As for your spyware woes i would install AVG (any anti-vius), Ad-Aware, and Spy-bot you know the normal line up. THen just scan them though once a week, or better yet make the kids run them though!