Different Users & Downloaded Programs

[Kimberley]

I have set up different users for each of my stepchildren with limited
access. Only some programs seem to work when downloaded from my log on for
the kids access. Why can't the other user ID's access the same programs?

 

[Mark L. Ferguson]

click Start and type :
%allusersprofile%

The All Users/Shared Documents area lets apps install and be available to
all.

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Mark L. Ferguson MS-MVP
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Mark.Ferguson

 

[Patrick Keenan]

I have set up different users for each of my stepchildren with limited
access. Only some programs seem to work when downloaded from my log on for
the kids access. Why can't the other user ID's access the same programs?

There's an important difference between gaining access to a program and
being able to *run* the program. These are two separate issues, and it
looks like you're conflating them.

As to program access, if you placed the shortcut to the program in your user
account folder structures, other users may not have immediate access to
them. You could try putting those shortcuts to the All Users desktop
folder instead. If you create new accounts, they will automatically have
access to those programs.

But as to being able to *run* those programs from a Limited-level account,
this depends on the way the program was written. Some programs require
Administrator level permissions to run, even though they may not really need
it.

If you find that is the case, you need to either use the Run As command, to
run with Admin privileges (however, that means you're giving the Limited
users an Admin username and password, which defeats the point; you could
alternately launch the program every time the user wants to run it), or,
contact the program's author or publisher for advice on how to run the
program without Administrator permissions.

HTH
-pk

 

[Bruce Chambers]

I have set up different users for each of my stepchildren with limited
access. Only some programs seem to work when downloaded from my log on for
the kids access. Why can't the other user ID's access the same programs?

You may experience some problems if the software was designed for
Win9x/Me, or if it was purportedly 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

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