Parental control

[TacoBellSux]

I keep an adult skyrim mod list on my computer. I got young kids but they are quickly approaching the age that they can use the computer. The computer is in the living room but I wont be able to supervise them all the time. The mod list has been a work in progress since 2016, I would rather not delete it but if I can't be certain the children wont access it, I will delete it. Does anyone have any experience or suggestion so that I can guarantee that they wont be able to access the mod list?

[Leoosp]

@TacoBellSux If you really want to be sure they can't access it. Make sure you have a copy of OS installation media, and have backed up items you wish to keep. Then run software like for example ShredOS (GitHub - PartialVolume/shredos.x86_64: Shredos Disk Eraser 64 bit for all Intel 64 bit processors as well as processors from AMD and other vendors which make compatible 64 bit chips. ShredOS - Secure disk erasure/wipe and/or O&O SafeErase 19 Overview - O&O Software GmbH). The ShredOS or O&O SafeErase software will completely wipe 1 or more drives based on settings. Which will ensure that the children don't access it. That way the deletion is secure if you can't prevent children accessing it.

 

Does you computer if its a desktop have any 5.25" or 3.5" hot swap hard drive bays? If you do you could move it onto a secured and/or encrypted (with strong encryption) disk drive (HDD or SDD which uses SATA), the drive would have a password on it and dedicated to the list. Only you would have the password, it would be easy to remember but hard to guess. The drive itself would be locked away in a cupboard or safe out of reach of the young children. The cupboard key wouldn't be accessible to the young children to ensure, together with the encrypted and password protected storage, so that it kept from the children.

 

When finished using that drive make sure that you properly completely, close down the software (for mod list) and then safely remove the drive from the system and stow it back in the secured child inaccessible location (locked and out of reach).

Edited March 2, 2025 by Leoosp

[pinky6225]

I'd have thought making them windows accounts would be sufficent as you could then prevent them loading steam / skyrim (which is rated Mature 17 + in the US or PEGI 18 in the UK after all) as i'd not think you'd want young kids using your account anyway (imagine has admin rights) so they don't break stuff by accident

 

Depends what age we are talking about when you say young though i suppose

 

Steam itself is also meant to have some degree of parental control (family view i think its called) so that might be worth looking into if they will use your steam account to limit what games you own they are able to run

Edited March 2, 2025 by pinky6225

[Leoosp]

53 minutes ago, pinky6225 said:

I'd have thought making them windows accounts would be sufficent as you could then prevent them loading steam / skyrim (which is rated Mature 17 + in the US or PEGI 18 in the UK after all) as i'd not think you'd want young kids using your account anyway (imagine has admin rights) so they don't break stuff by accident

 

Depends what age we are talking about when you say young though i suppose

 

Steam itself is also meant to have some degree of parental control (family view i think its called) so that might be worth looking into if they will use your steam account to limit what games you own they are able to run

 

@pinky6225 @TacoBellSux Also depends on what the equivalent age rating (content rating) would be for their mod list, as the Mature 17+ in US and PEGI 18 in UK is for a vanilla unmodified version of Skyrim. By having it on a dedicated removable hot swap drive, they can lock that drive away out of the young person's reach. Only having it available to use when they are about to game using it thus keeping it away from the children.

 

Even if the drive isn't encrypted or password protected having it removable (hot swap) means they can have the drive (mod list) physically in accessible to the young individuals, irrespective of the vanilla game's age rating.

Edited March 2, 2025 by Leoosp

[TacoBellSux]

@pinky6225 @Leoosp Thanks for the suggestions. I'm gonna set-up accounts on both windows and steam so I can restrict what they have access too, then get an removable drive with password as a fail safe. I feel confident that there will be no way for them to find the mods doing both of these. I already have a fire proof safe I can keep the drive locked away in. 

[Leoosp]

37 minutes ago, TacoBellSux said:

@pinky6225 @Leoosp Thanks for the suggestions. I'm gonna set-up accounts on both windows and steam so I can restrict what they have access too, then get an removable drive with password as a fail safe. I feel confident that there will be no way for them to find the mods doing both of these. I already have a fire proof safe I can keep the drive locked away in. 

 

When I mean hot swap I'm referring to something like one of the following:-

 

• MB153SP-B_3 x 2.5"/3.5" SATA/SAS Hard Drive Backplane Cage in 2x External 5.25" Bay
• StarTech.com 5.25in Trayless Hot Swap Mobile Rack for 3.5in Hard Drive - Internal SATA Backplane Enclosure - Lockable drive bay (HSB100SATBK) : Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories
• MB876SK-B_3.5" SATA Hard Drive Hot-Swap EZ-Tray Mobile Rack for External 5.25" Bay
• Hot Swap Drive Bays | CPC UK

 

Alternatively something similar to this available in the country or location where you live, unless you already have one. I wouldn't recommend using USB unless you have a very fast connection, also the quality of the connection (via USB matters - drivers etc) as it will affect the FPS. Using something like the above hot swap units will utilise the SATA connection directly, so it will appear when connected like it's installed internally in your system at the same speed. No extra drivers required hopefully.

Edited March 2, 2025 by Leoosp