Re: Run As Different User

From: Bruce Chambers (bchambers_at_nospam.cableone.net)
Date: 07/22/03


Date: Mon, 21 Jul 2003 19:12:50 -0600


Greetings --

   This is quite common if the software was designed for Win9x/Me, or
if it was intended for WinNT/2K/XP, but was improperly designed. Quite
simply, the installation routine for this application doesn't "know"
how to handle individual user profiles, or the application tries to
make changes to "off-limits" sections of the registry. Quite often,
you can make this software available to other users by _copying_ the
Start Menu folder and Desktop folder shortcuts from the user profile
from which the software was installed in the corresponding folders in
the user profile(s) in which you'd like the software to be accessible.
If the application is something that can/should be made available to
all current and future users, copying the shortcuts into the
corresponding locations of the All Users profile will do the trick.

    NOTE: This may not work if the software requires access to parts
of the hard drive and/or registry that are not normally accessible to
regular users. (This won't occur if the application was properly
written.) If this does prove to be the case, however, you're left
with two options: Either grant the necessary users appropriate higher
access privileges (either as Power Users or local administrators), or
replace the application with one that was properly designed
specifically for WinNT/2K/XP.

Some Programs Do Not Work If You Log On from Limited Account
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q307091

    Additionally, here are a couple of tips suggested, in a reply to a
different post, by MS-MVP Kent W. England:

"If your game or application works with admin accounts, but not with
limited accounts, you can fix it to allow limited users to access the
program files folder with "change" capability rather than "read" which
is the default.

C:\>cacls "Program Files\appfolder" /e /t /p users:c

where "appfolder" is the folder where the application is installed.

If you wish to undo these changes, then run

C:\>cacls "Program Files\appfolder" /e /t /p users:r

If you still have a problem with running the program or saving
settings on limited accounts, you may need to change permissions on
the registry keys. Run regedit.exe and go to HKLM\Software\vendor\app,
where "vendor\app" is the key that the software vendor used for your
specific program. Change the permissions on this key to allow Users
full control."

    To answer your non-technical question: Yes, children most
certainly should be constantly supervised when they're using a
computer that can connect to the Internet.

Bruce Chambers

--
Help us help you:
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You can have peace.  Or you can have freedom.  Don't ever count on
having both at once. -- RAH
"Alex Ivanov" <consul@collegeclub.com> wrote in message
news:%23kVO7t8TDHA.1572@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> Bigger is the security risk if I give my Admin password to a
non-admin user.
> And the application won't run without admin's permissions. Does
Microsoft
> thinks that I should always stand behind my kids shoulder only to
let them
> play their favorite game?
> -- 
> Alex.
>
> "Peter Ericson" <peterNOSPAM@NOSPAMpericson.com> wrote in message
> news:%237y9$k6TDHA.2220@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
> > Alex Ivanov wrote:
> >
> > > How can I make a program always run with specific user
credentials
> without
> > > prompting for User ID and password?
> > >
> > > Win XP home
> >
> > I don't think you can because of the associated security risk.
Somebody
> > correct me if I'm wrong.
> >
> > *-------=== Peter Ericson ===-------*
> > http://www.pericson.com/
> > *-----------------------------------*
> >
>
>


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