Visual Aid to identify a window "Run As" Administrator

[Guest]

'root' = Administrator account
'minion' = Limited-User account

I am logged in as 'minion' and I see my default "Windows XP" themed desktop
and whatever launched program/applet windows I may have.
I now launch, say, Windows Explorer as 'root' and I would like to easily
distinguish the admin-privileged window from the window for a non-privileged
instance of Windows Explorer. (eg. an orange window border or title bar would
suffice)

For the admin-privileged account Desktop Theme, I choose to use a plain
(Windows Classic) theme with no desktop wallpaper. For the limited user
account, 'minion' I use the Windows XP theme and a custom wallpaper.

This is great for reminding me when I am _logged_in_ as 'root' but none of
that unique theme is applied to the window of a program launched using the
"Run As" 'root' feature when I am logged in as 'minion'

In lieue of a solution to this specific "How Do I?" question, I'd be happy
to learn of alternate best known methods for keeping track of a
window/program that has been launched using "Run As"

 

[Steven L Umbach]

You could use Task Manager and look for process that is running as the user
account you specified for runas under user name column. --- Steve

 

[Ms. Linda A.W.]

You could use Task Manager and look for process that is running as the user
account you specified for runas under user name column. --- Steve

---
I think you are missing the point. The point is to have a visual
identifier on any window owned by the admin account. The idea of a orange
or red (user-pref) for those windows would seem great.

Too bad there is no way to tell "runAs" to also pick up the
"runas" user's environment from that user's registry for coloring that
user's windows...

-linda

 

[Guest]

You could use Task Manager and look for process that is running as the user
account you specified for runas under user name column. --- Steve

Task Manager allows a user to view usernames on the Processes tab but from
that list one cannot "Switch to" a process like one can from the Applications
tab. On the Applications tab there is no user identifying information shown
so two explorer windows open to the same folder (eg. My Documents) but using
different authentication cannot be differentiated.


Ms Linda's comment about user profile prompted me to try the command line
"runas /profile /user:root explorer" thinking that this may force the root
user profile (hence active window appearance) to be adopted but this does not
produce the desired effect either.


Given the above the following curiosity is of passing interest only:

(Note: Both minion and root user accounts have checked
"Launch folder windows in a separate process"
on the Folder Options dialog.)

1) when minion launches two instances of Windows Explorer, the Processes tab
in Task Manager lists two instances of explorer.exe

2) when minion launches another two instances of Windows Explorer using "Run
As" root(admin) then Task Manager Processes tab lists only the one instance
of explorer.exe !