Use User-Level Account in Windows 7 to Minimize Virus Risk

Anti-Virus and anti-malware software are useful against know virus and malwares. However, having these types of programs in your computers is not a guarantee that your computer will never catch a virus or a malware.

Extra precautions however would greatly increase the chances of getting these unwanted programs. In Windows 7, using an administrator account increases your risks in getting a virus and malware to your computer. Using a non-administrator account however decreases such risks.



If you are using a non-administrator or a Standard User level account, Windows 7 will always ask for the Administrator password every time a program tries to make some changes on your computer, thus making you aware of what is happening, or better yet gives you a chance to stop these changes.

So, if you are still using an Administrator account, create a new user and set the access level to Standard Users only.

Here are the steps:

1. Click Start
2. Control Panel
3. User Accounts and Family Safety
4. Add or Remove User 
5. Create New Account
• Type the user name
• Make sure Standard User is selected
6. Click Create Account button.
7. Close the Control Panel
8. (Optional) Backup your files to another folder or drive. 
9. Logout the Admin account
10. Log in now as a new user.
11. Copy your files again.

Another option is create another Administrator account following the steps above, except that you select Administrator (step 5). Then change the account type of what you are using right now to Standard User.

Doing this greatly decreases of the chances of getting virus and malwares into your computer. This is what I did to the 30 plus computers under my care and I almost never had any malware problems since I configured the computers this way.