How to keep others out?

[newbph]

I'm a Mac newbie (after years of IBM PC) and have never worried before about keeping people out of my computer, but now it's important.
Operating system is OS X 10.5.8. When a friend helped me transfer my files to this computer, we set up an admin password, which I of course know.
Also, it knows me as a user by my name.

I want to be able to shut down the computer, and then when I power it back on, for it to ask for a password and only let me in, nobody else.

Believe it or not, I can't figure out how to do this.

Please be kindergarten simple.

 

[wobegong]

System Preferences -> Accounts -> Login Options

This is assuming (as it looks that you have Automatic Login enabled - if so this is where you disable it.

Also delete any other accounts (to disable Guest click on this account and untick the boxes)

System Preferences -> Sharing - This allows you to turn off any sort of file sharing.

System Preferences -> Security -> FileVault - This will encrypt your hard drive so if you remove it from the machine and plug it into another nobody will be able to read the contents.

This should be enough to be getting on with, report back if you need anything further.

 

[eyoungren]

I'd just add one more.

System Preferences>Security>General. Check the "Require password to wake this computer from sleep or screensaver" box.

and

same place, check the box that says "Disable automatic login".

 

[newbph]

Oh!

Thank you both so very much!