PC101-Personal Computer 101

How do I keep track of all these damn passwords?!?

Keeping track of the multitudes of passwords required by today's websites, computer utilities and security SW is enough to frustrate about anyone!   However, there are some things you can do to lighten the load on yourself. 

One "trick" people use the same username/password set over and over again.   There are a number of potential problems with this, such as it makes it easier for a program or person to guess what they are; you compomise multiple sources if your username/password are discovered; and finally the username/password you choose may not always be accepted due to restrictions on character length and the numeric verus character composition of your username and/or password.

So, what is a person to do then: ...write them down on a slip of paper and tape it to the underside of your keyboard?   Depending on your location, that might not work too well either.   You could always use a password that no one could ever guess: öΩЂжΨЮ, but it's an awful hard one to remember...

Security experts don't support these techniques, but then they are concerned with computer security, not the hassle it causes you to conform to official security procedures.

One compromise is to keep your username/passwords in a file on your computer, with a backup paper copy in a separate secure location, e.g. a fire safe.   The file needs only to be a common text file with columns for: site/utility, username, password, comments...e.g.:

Create a directory in your documents directory (My Documents) for storage of files you often need quick access to, like this one, and after you create your "password" file save it to this directory.  Then using the file manager Explore go to this new directory and right click on your password file there, choose Create Shortcut and a shortcut to your password file will be created in the directory.  Move that shortcut to your desktop by either "dragging" it within Explorer: hold the right button down on the shortcut file and drag it over to the top of the left window onto the Desktop entry -- the entry should highlight when you are over it, then let go of the right button and select Move here, or if your Explorer window is not totally hidding your desktop, just right click on the shortcut and drag it to clear space on your desktop and let go, then select Move here.

Now when you double left-click on the destop shortcut it will open up your password file for viewing or editting.

Next is to make the file as secure as possible.   First change the name of the desktop shortcut to something that does not indicate its a password file, but that you can remember what it is, e.g.: "Iknow".

Next is to make the shortcut and file protected to prevent others from viewing the information by making the both "hidden" to users other than yourself.   First right-click on your shortcut and select Properties and select the General tab at the top of the window.  Click on the Hidden box so there is a checkmark in the box, then click OK and your're done.  The shortcut on your desktop will turn "hazy or grey" to indicate it is hidden to others.

Now do the same thing to your password file in your new directory.  Then finally, do the same to the new directory you created in My Documents also, but then click on the Sharing tab and also check the box Make this folder private.  This will make this new directory and any files or subdirectories in it, available to you only.

Got questions you would like answered?  Yes

keoni@isp.com