General User Management

[Guest]

I just purchased a new computer running Windows XP Media Center Edition. I
created four accounts: two administrator accounts and two limited user
accounts for the kids.

When I am logged in as an administrator, I can install new programs just
fine. Two questions:
a) Sometimes newly installed programs do not show up when the other
administrator logs in. However, one can navigate to the program file
location and manually launch the program. Why is that?
b) The limited users see all installed programs. Is there a way of
installing programs so that they cannot be seen by a limited user to begin
with?

 

[Bert Kinney]

Hi Frank,

Installing and running software in Windows XP by Rick Rogers MS-MVP
http://rickrogers.org/xpsware.htm

Shared Computer Toolkit for Windows XP product overview
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/sharedaccess/overview.mspx

 

[Guest]

Bert -

Thank you for the information.

I have installed the Shared Computer Toolkit and followed the instructions.
I have only modified the profile settings for the Shared user accounts but my
own profile has been changed by the tool as well. As a result, I now do not
have access to my own files anymore, my desktop settings have disappeared
(such as wallpaper and icons), icons in the quick launch bar are gone, and a
couple of other issues.

Looks like this tool has created more trouble than was worth it... Do you
have any recommendations on how to roll back the changes made by the tool in
order to restore the computer to the state it had been previously?

Thanks,
Frank