How to share ATI AIW settings with multiple users?

[wdsnews]

Every time a new user logs on to our shared family computer, I have to set
up MMC 8.5 for the All-in-Wonder 9000 all over again. If that was all there
were to it, then ok. I could live with that. But I want to share the TV
recording schedule with all users, which of course includes the "default"
user when no one is logged on.

As it is now, virtually all of our painfully setup TV schedules get missed
because the user, where a schedule got set up, is not logged on when the
show comes on.

The other big problem is with the vcr files. They're huge, and there's no
reason to keep extra copies.

Thanks for your advice.

 

[Tim]

You fail to mention what operating system you are using....

Since you mention the "default" user, as in no user logged in, I assum it's not
Windows NT/2000/XP/2003....

If I am not mistaken, whenever a new user is created by just typing in a
username and password, and storing the password on the system, the default
registry settings are taken FROM the default user. So, try and setup the
Default user's settings first, then try logging in with a new user name.

 

[Vance McNeil]

Sounds like it might be XP.

It seems more applications are sensitive to XP's multiple user scheme
allowing every app to be customised per each user's preferences (this is
likely the first step to requiring licenses for each user

Try setting the schedule from Admin's login.

 

[Tim]

Someone correct me if I am mistaken....

I am using Windows XP Professional. I am unaware if XP Home is different in this
matter:

You cannot bypass the login process. There is no "Cancel" button like there is
on Windows 95/98/Me to skip logging onto the system. This is the reason XP is
more secure.

So, we must assume he's not using XP..... but Windows 98/Me (surly not 95)

 

[Vance McNeil]

Why must we assume he's not talking about XP?
I recall that when I tried to use MMC from another user's account, I had to
set up the TV all over again.

Different profiles, different settings...

 

[Andre C]

You cannot bypass the login process. There is no "Cancel" button like there is
on Windows 95/98/Me to skip logging onto the system. This is the reason XP is
more secure.

You can by pass the login screen but only if you are the only account
set up. There is registry tweak though I think tweakui also offers
this.

With regard to XP I don't know if the following would work. When you
boot up for the day, log into the user who has the scehdules. Thus the
computer is geared to record. Then go back to the login screen. Now
any user can log into their own account, whilst the TV account runs in
the background.

Andre

 

[Tim]

You can by pass the login screen but only if you are the only account

set up. There is registry tweak though I think tweakui also offers
this.

That is bypassing the user-interactive login process yes, but you are still
logging in with a USER NAME and/or Password. Those programs just enable
auto-login, which stores your username and/or password and uses that information
to automatically log you on. It still is a login process, and the login process
cannot be bypassed.

With regard to XP I don't know if the following would work. When you
boot up for the day, log into the user who has the schedules. Thus the
computer is geared to record. Then go back to the login screen. Now
any user can log into their own account, whilst the TV account runs in
the background.

Yea that'd work. But keep in mind, most programs which require access to the
computer hardware don't like to be opened more than once. The second user
logged in could suffer error messages saying this program is already running....
but is simple to press OK and go about your business. Also, if it's not a very
fast computer, having more than one person logged on at a time will degrade
overall system performance.

 

[Tim]

Why must we assume he's not talking about XP?

I recall that when I tried to use MMC from another user's account, I had to
set up the TV all over again.

Different profiles, different settings...

That is already known. What I am trying to argue is you cannot bypass the login
process on XP and login without entering a username &/or password, whether you
type it in or click on a name or whether windows automatically does it for you
(Auto Login, referring to my other post). The original poster mentions not what
his operating system is, but makes references to the default user when you
bypass logging onto the system. Since you cannot bypass logging onto Windows
XP, he cannot be talking about Windows XP.

 

[Tim]

I believe you need to do us the courtesy of responding with additional
information (please check the other posts).

This is something that is really not liked... someone posts a request for help
without providing enough information, and never responds with that required
information. Usually ends to blocking that person from people's systems and you
won't receive help from those people....

 

[JAD]

If he used the word 'guest' it may have been more appropriate I think...but anywho 9x versions of windows share the setting unless
you evoke multiple users. Most people don't do this, but if the OP did , then just turn that off.

If in fact your using XP/2000 there are administration controls that allow you to share desktop settings with other users.

Alt.windows-xp

 

[Andre C]

Yea that'd work. But keep in mind, most programs which require access to the
computer hardware don't like to be opened more than once. The second user
logged in could suffer error messages saying this program is already running....
but is simple to press OK and go about your business. Also, if it's not a very
fast computer, having more than one person logged on at a time will degrade
overall system performance.

I agree. That is the problem of trying to create an all purpose
multimedia device. Maybe if MMC is disabled in all the other accounts
except the TV one that would avoid conflict. This assumes that people
are not wanting to watch it on the computer of course. Far from ideal.

Maybe there is a registry hack which will allow pointing to the same
schedule whatever user. after all you can have "shared documents"
folder ect. ATI ought to think about that if and when they ditch
gemstar.

Andre

 

[wdsnews]

Thanks for your attention. We're using WinXP Pro on a Domain network. It
create's a profile for each user. There is also an "All Users" profile and
a "Default" profile. But when nobody is logged on, the Default profile info
is used.

 

[Tim]

Why are you referring to the default user? You cannot bypass login on Windows
XP.... even if you have your PC setup to automatically log you on (which is a
default thing in Windows XP when it's installed)... you're still being logged
on.

You can go in using Registery Editor and edit the registry settings for the
HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT. Setup how you want everything in one profile, export the
HKEY_CURRENT_USER tree to a REG file. Open it up in notepad and replace every
instance of "HKEY_CURRENT_USER" with "HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT". Save it, then
double-click on it and add it to the registery. EVERY registery setting will be
exported into that registry location.

The .DEFAULT under the HKEY_USERS is probably for backward compatibility with
older programs that saved their settings there. But, Windows XP is NT-Based,
and because of that, security of the system requires that a user logs in. You
CANNOT bypass logging in.

You may wish to read the other posts on this thread...

 

[wdsnews]

Thanks for your attention.

I tried setting the schedule in the Admin's login, but it didn't work. All
other profiles have their own schedule. What I need is a way to share the
ATI settings in one profile with all the others.

 

[wdsnews]

That is a good suggestion, but it didn't work. The moment someone logs on,
a new profile and a new set of settings are adopted.

 

[wdsnews]

Why are you referring to the default user? ... Windows XP is NT-Based,

and because of that, security of the system requires that a user logs in.

I appreciate your help, but please consider the possibility of "logging off"
without "shutting down". Or consider simply turning on the PC and letting
it sit without "loggin in". In such a situation, a profile is still in
effect. A screen saver still runs. Schedules are still executed. The main
difference is that the default profile is used instead of an assigned
profile.

The only time someone is "required" to logon is if you want to use the
computer for more than it will do by itself. For example, if I wanted to
access the shared disk or printer of this computer from another computer,
nobody would have to logon at the keyboard of this computer. In another
example, if I wanted to change a schedule, I would have to logon. But if I
simply wanted to record a show I had previously scheduled, I could simply
turn it on and let it sit... assuming it were possible to share the user
settings with the default profile.

BTW, one of the registry keys to search for includes "ATI MMC". I've
successfully set the admin's profile to put "ATI MMC" in a common folder.
The time-shift file seems to be using the new folder. So now I'm wondering
if there is an official document that tells us how to share the MMC settings
with other profiles. Unfortunately, each new experiment seems to wipe-out
my previous settings.

I appreciate your suggestion for exporting and importing HKEY_USERS
settings, but I don't want to share all profile info. I just want to share
settings specific to the MMC 8.5.

 

[wdsnews]

Thanks Tim. I very much appreciate the help here. Thankfully, the weeked
arrived, and I am able to get back to this group. I hope my other posts
filled in the missing info.

 

[Tim]

I appreciate your help, but please consider the possibility of "logging off"

without "shutting down". Or consider simply turning on the PC and letting
it sit without "loggin in". In such a situation, a profile is still in
effect. A screen saver still runs. Schedules are still executed. The main
difference is that the default profile is used instead of an assigned
profile.

Agreed, but YOU cannot run software in this state. Only scheduled tasks done
with the Windows Scheduling service (AT) can be run in this mode. You have no
access to Windows Explorer or the Start Menu for anyone.

The only time someone is "required" to logon is if you want to use the
computer for more than it will do by itself. For example, if I wanted to
access the shared disk or printer of this computer from another computer,
nobody would have to logon at the keyboard of this computer. In another
example, if I wanted to change a schedule, I would have to logon. But if I
simply wanted to record a show I had previously scheduled, I could simply
turn it on and let it sit... assuming it were possible to share the user
settings with the default profile.

Just "letting it sit" I am assuming you are referring to an auto-logon process
as discussed many many times on this thread. This is still logging on with some
user name...

I think you should do some reading up on Windows NT-Based operating systems. You
obviously do not comprehend what I am trying to tell you, which is doing neither
of us any good at this point in time.

BTW, one of the registry keys to search for includes "ATI MMC". I've
successfully set the admin's profile to put "ATI MMC" in a common folder.
The time-shift file seems to be using the new folder. So now I'm wondering
if there is an official document that tells us how to share the MMC settings
with other profiles. Unfortunately, each new experiment seems to wipe-out
my previous settings.

I appreciate your suggestion for exporting and importing HKEY_USERS
settings, but I don't want to share all profile info. I just want to share
settings specific to the MMC 8.5.

Then why not find the keys where the settings are stored and duplicate them
only? Sorry, I can't exactly hold your hand while you do this one....

 

[J.Clarke]

No. You're wrong. You can turn on a PC and let it sit.

Yes, you can.

The logon
dialogue will continue to stay on the screen until you logon, or the
screen saver or the stand-by mode takes effect. If you choose not to
logon, then nobody is logged on and the default profile is in effect.

Nope. Nobody is logged on and _no_ profile is in effect.

Frankly, it does nobody any good for you to make accusations,
assumptions, and bad suggestions while ignoring the original issue.
You've been wrong from your very first message, and you're still
wrong. You're attitude is insulting and completely unacceptable.

If you were even a little bit correct in your assumptions or your
replies then your arrogance could be understood. But you're so
amazingly off-base, that you make a fool of yourself.

I think you should do some reading up on Windows NT-Based operating
systems. You obviously do not comprehend what I am trying to tell you,
which is doing neither of us any good at this point in time. In other
words, quit wasting my time.

Lemme guess--you got an MCSE by taking a cram course?

 

[J.Clarke]

You're wrong about that too. Any program set to auto-start in the
default profile will run when nobody is logged on. Your anti-virus
program and any program you want runs that way.

Nope. This is one of the most common questions asked about
NT/2K/XP--"how do I run a program with no user logged on", and the
answer is that you either run it through the scheduler or use the "run
as service" utility included with the Resource Kit.

The default profile is the one that is used to set up new users--when a
new user is created he will have a copy of the default profile until his
profile is altered. The default profile is not active when there is no
user logged on.

Read some of these:
http://www.google.com/search?q=copy...s+XP&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&start=0&sa=N

Yea, a lot about user profiles but I don't see anything there that
supports your argument. If there's a particular page you have in mind
perhaps you could provide a link?

You know, if you were simply wrong I could accept it. If you simply
ignored my original question, I could accept it. If you were simply
arrogant, I could ignore it. But you're all those things and...

...you belittle me, attack my character, and chastise me.

Frankly, arrogance and ignorance is a dangerous combination. It
causes people to send messages like yours.

You are correct that arrogance and ignorance is a dangerous combination.
So is pot kettle black.