Re: Security too tight to allow certain games to run?

From: Bruce Chambers (bruce_a_chambers_at_h0tmail.com)
Date: 08/10/04


Date: Mon, 9 Aug 2004 19:58:54 -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."

Bruce Chambers

-- 
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"Shaun @ http://twinworld.ca/"
<Shaunhttptwinworldca@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:BCE99C71-5AE5-4F70-B69B-0563FEE8C531@microsoft.com...
> I'm sure someone has figured this out, as this is a common issue for
alot of
> people. Right now I have to run everybody's profiles on xp with
administrator
> access that wants to play games on the machine, because alot of the
games
> will not be recognized as being installed when using any other
profile (such
> as Power User, etc).
>
> If I try to install a game using Power User, the game installs
itself, but
> then when I re-run the cd, the game wants to re-install itself
again. If I
> say no to re-install it... change my profile to an admin profile,
and
> re-launch the cd... the cd now detects the game as being installed
and gives
> me the option to play it (which then loads the game and everything
works).
>
> Anyone aware what registry entries, etc might need to be modified to
be read
> / written to by power users? I have the games installed onto a FAT32
> partition, so NTFS settings arn't an issue on that partition. I do
have my
> C:\ setup for NTFS though. Any help on this would be great so I can
lower the
> other profiles down to Powerusers to help secure the pc against
threats
> through an admin account.


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