I got a customer the other day inquiring on how to put a password on an account. Well I usually advice people when they get a new PC/Laptop to always make a 2nd account as soon as the machine has started. The most basic reason for this is that one account can be an Administration account (this means that software can be installed etc. ) and the other a Standard account ( means people using that account can not install or download new software with out the Administrators permission. i.e. meaning you)
Also the Administration account can have a password to enter it, leaving the other account for visitors or other members of the family to use.

Another good reason to have a 2nd account is if it gets to the point that the account your using gets corrupted with a virus or some other problems, you have a 2nd account to fall back on and which can then be changed to Administration account as well, deleting the old one.

To put a password on an account and to install a 2nd account the user can go to Start–Control Panel-(in vista set it to classical view)- User Accounts– ( in Windows 7 select “Add or remove user accounts”)- Select the account to edit)- Create a password for your account– type in password, then again to confirm it. (Make sure it will be one you will not forget) ,Then type in a hint and click on Create Password. It is as easy as that. .

To make a second account, staying in the Control Panel User Accounts-Click on-Manage another account-go to-Create a New Account-type the name of the new account in to the box provided e.g. Others or visitors. Making sure Standard User is selected then click on Create Account. And that is it. The instructions I gave are for a Vista operational system, but Windows 7 is not be much difference.