Limited User Account

[BK]

On our old XP-Pro machine, I have set up a limited user account for my
daughter. How does this affect her ability to receive automatic windows
updates since she does not have permissions to download and install programs
on her limited user account? I guess I could ask the same question for
other automatic updates from places like Norton's Live Update and Ad-Aware?

 

[Bruce Chambers]

On our old XP-Pro machine, I have set up a limited user account for my
daughter. How does this affect her ability to receive automatic windows
updates since she does not have permissions to download and install programs
on her limited user account? I guess I could ask the same question for
other automatic updates from places like Norton's Live Update and Ad-Aware?

She would not be able to install any updates that require
administrative privileges, which is the majority of updates.


--

Bruce Chambers

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They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

 

[Gordon]

She would not be able to install any updates that require
administrative privileges, which is the majority of updates.

Bruce, may I ask if anyone has considered asking Microsoft WHY there is no
"run as administrator" option when downloading Windows Updates, thus
enabling a limited account to install those updates, seeing as running
permanently as an administrator is inherently a security risk?
That would seem to be a good solution to a security problem. (Has this
perhaps been addressed in Vista? I have to say that my Linux install does
that by default......)

 

[Gene K]

AND if you doubt her knowledge, NEVER let her update any program.

 

[BK]

Another question: Is it best to log on myself as administrator to perform
the normal updates for Windows, Norton's, Ad-Aware, etc., or is it best to
temporarily change her account to administrator, do all the updates as that
user, then change her account back to limited? Do some things get updated
by user rather than by workstation??

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Another question: Is it best to log on myself as administrator to perform
the normal updates for Windows, Norton's, Ad-Aware, etc., or is it best to
temporarily change her account to administrator, do all the updates as that
user, then change her account back to limited?

That comes down to how much you trust her to safely and correctly
install the updates, and troubleshoot should something go wrong.

Do some things get updated
by user rather than by workstation??

No, Windows Updates are for the system, not "per user."

--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

 

[BK]

Thanks, Bruce. Actually, I think I'll just continue to log on as the
administrator to take care of all the updates and generic maintenance on a
regular basis. I feel so much safer doing it myself. <grin>

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Thanks, Bruce.

You're welcome.

Actually, I think I'll just continue to log on as the
administrator to take care of all the updates and generic maintenance on a
regular basis. I feel so much safer doing it myself. <grin>

That would have been my choice, aw well. ;-}


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin