Account Permissions Problem?

[David L]

I'm a new Vista user and I'm trying to get used to it.

I fear I might have hosed something. I must have installed something bad and
was getting BSODs early in the boot process. I had to do a system restore to
yesterday and the BSODs appear to be gone.

I thought (not 100% sure) that previously when I was running as a standard
user, then when I went into regedit, I got a couple of UAC popups and I was
able to edit the registry (say the HKLM/Run key).

Now, as a standard user, I open regedit, it just opens up immediately and
I'm unable to edit keys in HKLM.

Also, for example, I open the java control panel icon and I can't edit the
automatically check for update field (because it's in the registry, I
guess).

Another thing is if I go into services, it just goes right in instead of
bringing up UAC, but I'm not able to edit any services at all.

But, on the other hand, if I go into say users and try to add a user, I do
get the UAC popup, enter the admin pw and I have rights to add a user.
Also, I just tried clicking the java install and it asks me for an admin pw,
so I guess if I continued with the install, it'd allow the proper registry
entries to be entered? So I know UAC is still there operating.

If I change myself to an admin, I can go into regedit and services and make
full changes.

Did I screw up something somewhere? Is it even supposed to invoke UAC when
a standard user opens regedit or tries to change a service, I'm not even
positive it worked that way before my system restore? Any way to fix this?

Also, I tried adding another standard user and it does operate the same was
as me.

Thanks!

 

[Guest]

I thought (not 100% sure) that previously when I was running as a standard
user, then when I went into regedit, I got a couple of UAC popups and I was
able to edit the registry (say the HKLM/Run key).

Now, as a standard user, I open regedit, it just opens up immediately and
I'm unable to edit keys in HKLM.

yes, with a standard user, you have that some commands doesn't automatically
trow an UAC popup (and so you have to use runas manually: right click on the
command shortcut -> runas administrator).
I think it works in this way in order to allow a standard user to make basic
tasks like watching the registry with regedit and edit its user space,
watching the services status or the devices, etc.
If a standard user will receive an UAC prompt and the user doesn't have the
administrator's password, then the user could not even open the registry, the
services, devices, etc.

 

[David L]

yes, with a standard user, you have that some commands doesn't
automatically
trow an UAC popup (and so you have to use runas manually: right click on
the
command shortcut -> runas administrator).
I think it works in this way in order to allow a standard user to make
basic
tasks like watching the registry with regedit and edit its user space,
watching the services status or the devices, etc.
If a standard user will receive an UAC prompt and the user doesn't have
the
administrator's password, then the user could not even open the registry,
the
services, devices, etc.

So then you are saying everything is working correctly for me? I ran as an
admin during the setting up phase, so maybe I was just confused and thought
that it still prompted me when I ran regedit after I changed myself to a
standard user, but maybe not.

If you have a standard user and open regedit, you get no prompt and can't
change HKLM?

I see I can open regedit as adminstrator and services as administrator (by
right clicking to run as adminstrator) under a standard user and make all
changes. What about device manager? Or even if I go into the Java control
panel, I can't open that as admin and can't edit that automatically check
for updates button at all in a standard account.

I'm just trying to make certain that I didn't screw up anything and want to
make sure it's working the right way.

Thanks!

 

[Paul Smith]

So then you are saying everything is working correctly for me? I ran as
an admin during the setting up phase, so maybe I was just confused and
thought that it still prompted me when I ran regedit after I changed
myself to a standard user, but maybe not.

If you have a standard user and open regedit, you get no prompt and can't
change HKLM?

I see I can open regedit as adminstrator and services as administrator (by
right clicking to run as adminstrator) under a standard user and make all
changes. What about device manager? Or even if I go into the Java control
panel, I can't open that as admin and can't edit that automatically check
for updates button at all in a standard account.

I'm just trying to make certain that I didn't screw up anything and want
to make sure it's working the right way.

Standard users don't get prompts for a lot of things - Regedit for example,
they would have to run it as an admin to force it to elevate. So that
sounds normal.

--
Paul Smith,
Yeovil, UK.
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User.
http://www.dasmirnov.net/blog/
http://www.windowsresource.net/

*Remove nospam. to reply by e-mail*

 

[David L]

Standard users don't get prompts for a lot of things - Regedit for
example, they would have to run it as an admin to force it to elevate. So
that sounds normal.

Thanks Paul, I guess I feel a lot better now. I thought I had something
really screwed up here. So a standard user would have NO prompt at all
went entering regedit (as long as I'm not doing run as administrator)?

What about that example of the Java control panel icon and editing that
automatically run at startup? I can't run that control panel icon as admin.
Seems like the only way to edit that field would be to actually log in under
an admin account, no? Is that just software that's not written properly for
Vista?

Thanks!
David

 

[Guest]

What about that example of the Java control panel icon and editing that
automatically run at startup?

the bug I saw in Java icon located in Windows's Control Panel is that a
standard user is not able to disable the automatic updates of Java (the check
box is grayed). This is a Java bug, that's not written properly for Vista and
limited user accounts.

 

[David L]

the bug I saw in Java icon located in Windows's Control Panel is that a
standard user is not able to disable the automatic updates of Java (the
check
box is grayed). This is a Java bug, that's not written properly for Vista
and
limited user accounts.

Great. That's what I wanted to hear.

Someone in another forum may have just helped clear up part of my confusion
as well. Apparently, OEMs can change a bit how regedit permissions are set?
Originally, I was on a Gateway OEM install. I used that for a few days and
then did a clean install. Maybe that's why I'm seeing things a little
differently then I thought.

As long as someone confirmed that, for standard accounts, regedit opens in
read only mode and that you can't change that java auto updates button, I
think I really have no problems here, just a little confusion.

Thanks!

 

[Guest]

for standard accounts, regedit opens in
read only mode

you can edit only your current user keys under HKEY_CURRENT_USER