Admin vs limited user account

Victor Hernandez · External Since: Apr 09, 2007 Posts: 1

Hi

I own a computer with Windows XP Home. There are 2 admin user accounts (My
wife and I), and 3 Limited user accunts (for my kids).

I have the problem that some (educational) software installed, doesnt work
properly with limited user account (it does work fine with admin users). The
company that develops that software recomend me that all the users were admin
users (Yeah...rigth...) but of course I dont want to do that .

So it is possible to grant admin rigths just for execution this apps?, what
would be my options? (discarding of course, granting admin rigths for all the
users).

Thanks in advance for your help

Malke · External Since: Nov 01, 2005 Posts: 7920

Victor Hernandez wrote:
> Hi
>
> I own a computer with Windows XP Home. There are 2 admin user accounts (My
> wife and I), and 3 Limited user accunts (for my kids).
>
> I have the problem that some (educational) software installed, doesnt work
> properly with limited user account (it does work fine with admin users). The
> company that develops that software recomend me that all the users were admin
> users (Yeah...rigth...) but of course I dont want to do that .
>
> So it is possible to grant admin rigths just for execution this apps?, what
> would be my options? (discarding of course, granting admin rigths for all the
> users).
>

This article by MVP Rick Rogers will help you:

http://www.rickrogers.org/xpsware.htm

In addition to what Rick says, you can also use the free Sysinternals
(now Microsoft) utilities filemon and regmon to see where the program in
question is trying to write. You can then change permissions on only
those areas and registry keys.

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/default.mspx

Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

B. Nice · External Since: Aug 19, 2006 Posts: 46

This message is not archived

Bruce Chambers · External Since: Apr 08, 2007 Posts: 99

"Victor Hernandez" <Victor Hernandez.TakeThisOut@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
message news:23554DEF-E358-4875-8FEE-188863B29275@microsoft.com...
> Hi
>
> I own a computer with Windows XP Home. There are 2 admin user accounts (My
> wife and I), and 3 Limited user accunts (for my kids).
>
> I have the problem that some (educational) software installed, doesnt work
> properly with limited user account (it does work fine with admin users).
> The
> company that develops that software recomend me that all the users were
> admin
> users (Yeah...rigth...) but of course I dont want to do that .
>
> So it is possible to grant admin rigths just for execution this apps?,
> what
> would be my options? (discarding of course, granting admin rigths for all
> the
> users).
>
> Thanks in advance for your help

You may experience some problems if the software was designed for
Win9x/Me, or if it was intended for WinNT/2K/XP, but was improperly
designed. Quite simply, the application doesn't "know" how to handle
individual user profiles with differing security permissions levels, or the
application is designed to make to make changes to "off-limits" sections of
the Windows registry or protected Windows system folders.

For example, saved data are often stored in a sub-folder under the
application's folder within C:\Program Files - a place where no
inexperienced or limited user should ever have write permissions.

It may even be that the software requires "write" access to parts of the
registry or protected systems folders/files that are not normally accessible
to regular users. (This *won't* occur if the application is properly
written.) If this does prove to be the case, however, you're often left
with three options: Either grant the necessary users appropriate higher
access privileges (either as Power Users or local administrators),
explicitly grant normal users elevated privileges to the affected folders
and/or part(s) or the registry, 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

Help us help you:
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They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety
deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell

Robin R Carlin · External Since: Jun 27, 2009 Posts: 1

Uninstall the software or eppication under that account than try installing
it again.
--
Robin Rebecca Carlin

"Victor Hernandez" wrote:

> Hi
>
> I own a computer with Windows XP Home. There are 2 admin user accounts (My
> wife and I), and 3 Limited user accunts (for my kids).
>
> I have the problem that some (educational) software installed, doesnt work
> properly with limited user account (it does work fine with admin users). The
> company that develops that software recomend me that all the users were admin
> users (Yeah...rigth...) but of course I dont want to do that .
>
> So it is possible to grant admin rigths just for execution this apps?, what
> would be my options? (discarding of course, granting admin rigths for all the
> users).
>
> Thanks in advance for your help