Setting up XP on a domain network - best practices question

[Jetter]

I have installed windows hundreds of times. I have always either used
the administrator
account, or created a new ID with admin privileges to install all the
apps and tools I use.
Then use XP with full admin rights on the box.
After studying for the 70-270 and 70-290 I read about the secondary
login service and
how its best to use XP with just a normal domain user ID and use the
"runas" option for admin duties.
So anyway I am currently rebuilding my home pc and decided to try
this method. (I have a small win2003 domain running on another box). I
installed Winxp and joined it to the domain.
On each program I install i'm using the "runas" option and logging in
as the local administrator.
The problem I am having is that when I do that, some programs that
store things in the "documents and settings" folder are putting there
data into the administrators folder, not my currently logged in user.
My domain ID doesnt have rights to the administrator folder so some
of those apps wont run unless I do the runas option each time I want
to use it. I know I could move the data into my domain users folder
after its done installing or give my domain ID rights to the
administrators folder but thats kind of messy.

Is it best to build the pc with full admin rights until its all
setup correctly and then remove the
admin rights? does that break anything?

Or install it like I am doing and then copy the administrators
documents and settings folder into my domain users folder?

Thanks for the help

 

[Malke]

I have installed windows hundreds of times. I have always either used
the administrator
account, or created a new ID with admin privileges to install all the
apps and tools I use.
Then use XP with full admin rights on the box.
After studying for the 70-270 and 70-290 I read about the secondary
login service and
how its best to use XP with just a normal domain user ID and use the
"runas" option for admin duties.
So anyway I am currently rebuilding my home pc and decided to try
this method. (I have a small win2003 domain running on another box). I
installed Winxp and joined it to the domain.
On each program I install i'm using the "runas" option and logging in
as the local administrator.
The problem I am having is that when I do that, some programs that
store things in the "documents and settings" folder are putting there
data into the administrators folder, not my currently logged in user.
My domain ID doesnt have rights to the administrator folder so some
of those apps wont run unless I do the runas option each time I want
to use it. I know I could move the data into my domain users folder
after its done installing or give my domain ID rights to the
administrators folder but thats kind of messy.

Is it best to build the pc with full admin rights until its all
setup correctly and then remove the
admin rights? does that break anything?

Or install it like I am doing and then copy the administrators
documents and settings folder into my domain users folder?

Install Windows XP Pro as usual and have two local accounts - the
built-in Administrator and one extra. I usually call the extra one
"Tech". Do all updates, configuration, and program installations from
one of these two local accounts. Afterwards, join the machine to the
domain. You will have created regular user accounts on the domain. Log
into one of these regular user accounts on the workstation and do your
work that way. Do not create a standard user account locally.


Malke