User Permissions for Microsoft Games

[Guest]

We have Age of Empires, Conquerors Expansion and Age of Mythology on our P.C.
which runs on XP Professional, but my kids can't play them on their log-in.

I had it all sussed before my drive died, and I had to reinstall everything,
but I don't recall how I did it ....

I've adjusted their User status to Power User, and given them sharing
priviledges, but the window still appears saying that they can't play without
Administrator Privileges ... well, that aint gonna happen, so what do I do
next?

 

[Jimmy S.]

Hi Pallas,

Some games will work with limited accounts after they have been installed and
run once either using an administrator account, or by temporarily changing the
limited user account(s) to an admin account in Control Panel / User Accounts,
just for the purpose of running the game the first time in order to be able to
install the necessary files and create the keys in the registry that it needs to
function, but may not be able to due to the restrictive nature of limited accounts.

If that mouthful doesn't resolve the issue, use the "Run As.." command instead:

1. Click Start / Control Panel / User Accounts / Create a New Account /
Name the Account: "able2play" (without quotes) / Next Pick: "Computer-
Administrator" & Click "Create Account";

2. Click on your new able2play account and Create a Password for it;

3. When your limited user wants to play a game that requires Administrator
privileges they can Right-Click the shortcut to that game / Click Run As... /
"The Following User": able2play and enter the password. Simple as that!

I know what you're thinking: That defeats the purpose of the limited user account.
To secure the "able2play" account so that it can't be used to logon to the computer:

First you can hide the account so that it won't show up on the Welcome Screen:
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/scripts_desc/xp_hide_users.htm (thanks Doug!)

Next add a shortcut to the windows logoff routine into the RUN key of the
able2play registry. I made a reg patch to simplify this process if you wish to use it:

4. Logon to the "able2play" account,

5. <ONLY RUN THIS PATCH USING THE "ABLE2PLAY" ACCOUNT>
Save this patch to your drive and then doubleclick it to install it to your registry.
http://www3.sympatico.ca/nibblesnbits/OnlyRunUsingAble2PlayAccount.reg

or

*Instead of using the reg patch, click Start / Run / regedt32 / browse to:
[HKCU\SOFTWARE\ Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run] and
Click Edit / New / String value / ValueName: logoff / Value data: logoff

From now on, if anyone logs on with the "able2play" account, the computer will log
them off immediately. They will not gain access to an administrators desktop!

--
Cheers, Windows XP MVP Shell / User
Jimmy S. http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

Game FAQs: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=FH;[LN];gms
Visit my Zone.com / Gaming Helpsite: http://nibblesnbits.tk or Call / Contact
MS Support at: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=sz;en-us;top
My advice is donated "AS IS" without warranty; nor do I confer any rights.
_________________________________________________________

 

[Guest]

Thanks Jimmy! ... I'll try temporarily changing their User status and see how
that pans out first . . . after that "Run As" will be my plan B.

What a pain in the proverbial ... you'd think Microsoft would sort it ~
these are Microsoft games after all (doh!)

Cheers ~ Pallas

 

[Chris H.]

It isn't anything against the games, but a matter of protecting the
operating system from changes which users who might not know what they're
doing would be able to make. If you want to protect your smooth-running
system, you don't want children having open license deleting files or
changing settings.
--
Chris H.
Microsoft Windows MVP/Tablet PC
Tablet Creations - http://nicecreations.us/
Associate Expert
Expert Zone -

 

[Guest]

Hello there Chris ...

Check on what you say ~ and I agree wholeheartedly. It takes a fair bit of
maintenance, and nutting out of things, to keep the system operating as it
should, which is why my motley crew have a Limited Account without
Adminisrator privileges.

Are you saying that they could damage the system if they had free access to
these game files, or are we getting confused?

Pallas