Fast User Switching

[Guest]

I am a computer administrator, and am wondering what the effects of enabling
fast user switching would be. Currently we have this disabled on all of the
systems, however I am looking at doing more remote administration of the
systems, as I am getting lazier, and am considering Fast User switching in
conjunction with Remote Desktop to do certain tasks like Add/Removing or
Upgrading software on these systems.

Does anybody have any recommendations about this, or the security
volunerabilities included with Fast User Switching and Remote Desktop?

Thanks
Jason Ryon

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

The Fast User Switching Feature is only available if the computer is
not a member of a Microsoft Windows NT, Windows 2000, or
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 domain, and you are not using a
third-party product that replaces the Microsoft Graphical Identification
and Authentication file (Msgina.dll).

A Discussion About the Availability of the Fast User Switching Feature
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;294739

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User
Microsoft Newsgroups

Get Windows XP Service Pack 2 with Advanced Security Technologies:
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/windowsxp/choose.mspx

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"Jason Ryon" wrote:

| I am a computer administrator, and am wondering what the effects of enabling
| fast user switching would be. Currently we have this disabled on all of the
| systems, however I am looking at doing more remote administration of the
| systems, as I am getting lazier, and am considering Fast User switching in
| conjunction with Remote Desktop to do certain tasks like Add/Removing or
| Upgrading software on these systems.
|
| Does anybody have any recommendations about this, or the security
| volunerabilities included with Fast User Switching and Remote Desktop?
|
| Thanks
| Jason Ryon

 

[Guest]

is it not easier to just use the runas command ?

 

[Guest]

The runas command works well for some things...however I want to be able to
remotely do add/remove programs and things like that, but still allow the
user to continue working. Some of the users lock their computers while their
programs are running, and I can't unlock with the admin account or else it
will close everything they have working. Also it is a pain to have to then
contact each individual to set up a time to do an upgrade...when it would
probalby take me less time if i could just do it while they are logged on. I
would like to just remote desktop to their computers while they are still
logged in but not allow them to see it.

It doesn't look like fast user switching will work in my application though
since i'm on a domain.

I have dabbled a little bit with psexec, however it is only command line, so
it is hard to do a lot of uninstalls without GUI interfaces.