How can I add a new user in Microsoft Windows Vista?

I am so happy to be able to save your marriage, but I have to admit that I'm a bit worried that it hinges on using a Dell laptop! :-)

More seriously, it's amazing to me how many people don't even realize that both PC and Mac systems support multiple users and that it's a really easy way to keep your files safe from your spouse and children, and vice versa.

You're running Vista, which is good because it has a very secure "wall" between accounts, but, as you point out, you still have to figure out how to set it up.

The first step is to make sure you are already logged in as administrator, then click on the Start button. Oh, um, it's not called that in Vista. Click on the funky Windows graphic on the lower left corner of your screen:

Choose "Control Panel" as you can see above. Then you'll be looking at the Control Panel window:

As you can see, choose "Add or remove user accounts".

Now you'll see all of the accounts you have set up on the Dell Vista laptop you're working with (or, in my case, the accounts I have on my own Dell Vista laptop, as it happens):

Choose "Create a new account" and you'll be prompted to specify the account name, and so on:

I would strongly suggest that you don't make your husband (or whomever else you are setting up the account for) an administrator, so choose "Standard user" as I am doing here.

When you have things configured to your liking, click on "Create Account" and you'll be back to where you were before, but the new account will show up:

You can stop here if you want, but you might want to give him a password for his account. If you do, just click on the account icon or name on the display and it'll show you all the things you can tweak for this account:

To add a password, click on "Create a password" and you'll be here:

Enter a password, add a hint, click "Create password" and... we've just saved your marriage!

Now your challenge is to remember to log out of your account each time you're going to loan the computer to your partner and/or have him remember to log you out and log himself in any time he's going to use the computer.

Sincerely,
Dave Taylor, MFCC
(well, not really, but it sounded good!)