Run process under alternate credentials - Run As

[Chris Aspinall]

How do I set up a program such that a shortcut, or
similar, can do the equivalent of a 'run as', when used
by a 'Limited' user account - without the user having to
enter the password of the 'Computer Administrator'.
System is Windows XP -Home addition.

 

[Torgeir Bakken (MVP)]

How do I set up a program such that a shortcut, or
similar, can do the equivalent of a 'run as', when used
by a 'Limited' user account - without the user having to
enter the password of the 'Computer Administrator'.
System is Windows XP -Home addition.

Hi

As you are using WinXP Home, you can't use the /savecred switch with runas.exe
(it is ignored in WinXP Home).


Some options that might work for you:


If it doesn't matter if the password is in clear text:

Sanur Commandline Runas Automation Utility (free)
http://www.commandline.co.uk/sanur/


if it does:

Some 3rd party RunAs solutions that "hides" (encrypt) username/password
are listed in the link below (buy solutions). Can be run from network shares,
so nothing needs to be installed on the client computers.

http://groups.google.com/[email protected]


A couple of free tools that "hides" (encrypt) username/password:

CPAU on the free win32 c++ tools page of
http://www.joeware.net


And from a recent post by Peter M.:

<quote>
I am currently using AutoIt V3 (http://www.hiddensoft.com/autoit3/)
It includes a command to run a command as a special user. You can
write a simple script and then compile it with autoit as an executable.
Protect this executable with a password and you are done.

AutoIt V3 ist still beta and under development, but the actual version
is stable and the functions you need (runasadmin,regwrite...) are
already implemented and working.
</quote>

 

[Roger Abell]

Many programs can be made to run in a limited account,
which is a superior solution rather than use of RunAs so
limited accounts can run as an admin.