Registry Permissions

[Guest]

I'm the only user on my computer, LAN connection, Windows XP. In Regedit for Permissions there are 25 choices in the "name(RDN)" column; including administrator, administrators, anomymous logon, authenticated users, batch, creator group, creator owner, everyone, user, guest, guests, local service, network, plus several more, and also one curious "unknown" with permission to read only. Is this an unusual list of names, and if so just which names are critical and can I remove the nonessential names? Thanks to anyone who has the time to offer suggestions.
CM

 

[David Candy]

If this is the search dialog then none are applied, just ones that could be applied. They are all specific groups or users. They have specific purposes. You are not the only user - windows itself has two user accounts for itself. Other programs may have user accounts too (this is to restrict permissions to a program).

Unknown is probably a deleted user account that has permissions set somewhere before it was deleted.

 

[Guest]

Search dialog? While removing sypware I was directed to run regedit. On page Registry Editor, rt click on HK Classes Root, then Permissions, Add, Advanced, Find Now (this is where the list is visible), then OK, OK, to get out. It's not as simple as your answer I don't think. What does your list of names look like?

 

[David Candy]

Pretty much the same as yours. Except no unknown and no you but with me. I think you've been given bad advice on changing permissions on HKCR. For a start it's a virtual key, it's built from two trees - HKCU\Software\Classes and HKLM\Software\Classes. HKCU (your specific users settings different from the system's) overrides HKLM (the system's settings). Security is inheirited from the source (software\classes). You may not have much, if anything, under HKCU but a HKCU setting in HKCR will have the users permission while most are from HKLM and only admins can change (as standard).

 

[Guest]

I've got a lot to learn. Thanks for taking the time to answer me. Curiosity has gotten me in trouble before but it's fun to learn the fixes. I wasn't changing permisisons, but was there to delete an adware entry; and then I couldn't help but look around. Whenever something doesn't make sense I try to figure it out. With help from people like you and reading other information I usually get my answers. Thanks again. I'll ask for you specifically the next time I need help if you don't mind. CM

 

[David Candy]

I'll ask for you specifically the next time I need help if you don't mind

That would be unwise has I only participate one week in two. Others may be loath to answer you if you ask for me specifically. I also don't read messages that arrive when I'm not at the computer (I'm not going to wake up and read 500 to 1000 mostly already answered messages). So in short I probably won't see it. I don't mind as such (and am flattered) but it's not good for you.