Use Administrator's Credentials to Logon as any User

[CG]

In Linux you can


login: root
password:


root@localhost:~ # su - anyuser


anyuser@localhost:~ #


.... You don't have to specify the user's password to login as the user,
and their CLI and GUI interface is available for the administrator to
use as though he or she was that user.


In Windows you can "runas" :


C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator.DOMAIN>runas
/userOMAIN\anyuser notepad.exe


Enter the password for DOMAIN\anyuser:


.... With two caveats:


1. The administrator must specify a password to begin the runas
application


2. You can only run a single application as that user, and not
completely shadow the user, including GUI, etc.


Maybe I'm a lazy sysadmin, but I don't enjoy digging around using the
remote access applications when I know it would be a simple matter to
log in as the user, configure using the GUI, and get out. Not only
that, but I have to know their password (or reset it) to use runas
UNLESS there's a feature or a setting or technique that I do not know
about.


I sure hope there is...


Please advise!


CG

 

[Guest]

In Windows you cannot su a user, unless you know the password. This is a
security requirement. But you can running a GUI program as a user, by right
clicking the shortcut or program when you are holding down the shift key.

br,
Denis

 

[lforbes]

Hi,

when I know it would be a simple matter to log in as the user,
configure using the GUI, and get out.

Is the the profile you want to change? I am not sure why you want to
logon as a user. However, I have details on how to setup profiles for
users (GUI) http://www.sd61.bc.ca/windows2000

You can also modify the Profile using Regedit and loading the user.dat
as a hive in the HKUsers.

Cheers,

Lara