Software problems with a Limited Account

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Guest

I have two user accounts set up on my machine, one being an Administrator and
the other being a Limited Account.

The problem I am experiencing is that some programs, such as Acrobat, do not
function correctly in a Limited Account. For example, with Acrobat as soon as
I log on as a Limited user the program starts installing itself again. If I
cancel the operation and double click on either the Recycle Bin or Internet
Explorer icons the installation process starts again.

I have tried another machine, running XP Home Edition (SP2), with the same
programs running as a Limited user and all work fine.

I am at a loss of what to try next?

Would appreciate any help

Thanks
 
LRaybould said:
I have two user accounts set up on my machine, one being an Administrator and
the other being a Limited Account.

The problem I am experiencing is that some programs, such as Acrobat, do not
function correctly in a Limited Account. For example, with Acrobat as soon as
I log on as a Limited user the program starts installing itself again. If I
cancel the operation and double click on either the Recycle Bin or Internet
Explorer icons the installation process starts again.

I have tried another machine, running XP Home Edition (SP2), with the same
programs running as a Limited user and all work fine.

I am at a loss of what to try next?



You may experience some problems if the software was designed for
Win9x/Me, or if it was intended for WinNT/2K/XP, but was improperly
designed. Quite simply, the application doesn't "know" how to handle
individual user profiles with differing security permissions levels, or
the application is designed to make to make changes to "off-limits"
sections of the Windows registry or protected Windows system folders.

For example, saved data are often stored in a sub-folder under the
application's folder within C:\Program Files - a place where no
inexperienced or limited user should ever have write permissions.

It may even be that the software requires "write" access to parts
of the registry or protected systems folders/files that are not normally
accessible to regular users. (This *won't* occur if the application is
properly written.) If this does prove to be the case, however, you're
often left with three options: Either grant the necessary users
appropriate higher access privileges (either as Power Users or local
administrators), explicitly grant normal users elevated privileges to
the affected folders and/or part(s) or the registry, or replace the
application with one that was properly designed specifically for
WinNT/2K/XP.

Some Programs Do Not Work If You Log On from Limited Account
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q307091

Additionally, here are a couple of tips suggested, in a reply to a
different post, by MS-MVP Kent W. England:

"If your game or application works with admin accounts, but not with
limited accounts, you can fix it to allow limited users to access the
program files folder with "change" capability rather than "read" which
is the default.

C:\>cacls "Program Files\appfolder" /e /t /p users:c

where "appfolder" is the folder where the application is installed.

If you wish to undo these changes, then run

C:\>cacls "Program Files\appfolder" /e /t /p users:r

If you still have a problem with running the program or saving
settings on limited accounts, you may need to change permissions on
the registry keys. Run regedit.exe and go to HKLM\Software\vendor\app,
where "vendor\app" is the key that the software vendor used for your
specific program. Change the permissions on this key to allow Users
full control."



--

Bruce Chambers

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