user setup

[Guest]

hi all,
when I bought my PC winXPpro was pre-installed and I had access with the
Administrators account. Following the recommendations I renamed it and have
since then used it for day to day use of the PC.
Recent publications relating to on-line security led me to change it to a
'Limited User' account. (Obviously I had to set up an 'Administrator' account
first).
So far so good---- except that with the 'Limited User'account I intended to
continue to use everyday, I now I don't have access to the very programs I
need to do just that.
Help needed urgently - please
thank you

 

[Shenan Stanley]

when I bought my PC winXPpro was pre-installed and I had access
with the Administrators account. Following the recommendations I
renamed it and have since then used it for day to day use of the PC.

The 'recommendations' to rename the built-in 'administrator' account is
called 'security by obscurity' and will only keep out people who have *no
idea* what they are doing when it comes to getting into a system. Not to
mention that renaming it and then continuing to utilize it daily pretty much
eliminates the entire (albeit small) usefulness of such a strategy.

Recent publications relating to on-line security led me to change
it to a 'Limited User' account. (Obviously I had to set up an
'Administrator' account first).

'Recent'? Since the beginning of the time when systems had users with more
power than others - it has ALWAYS been recommended you run with the least
priviledges possible on an everyday basis - only utilizing the higher
priviledged accounts when you needed to do something specific. This is not
just for the security of the system - but its stability as well. It's
harder to 'accidentally erase a bunch of system necessary files' if you
don't have the power to do so. ;-)

So far so good---- except that with the 'Limited User'account I
intended to continue to use everyday, I now I don't have access to
the very programs I need to do just that.

What do *you* mean by 'don't have access'?

Do you mean to the shortcuts that make it easier to run said applications -
or do you mean to the files/folders that actually comprise the applications
themselves?

 

[Guest]

The 'recommendations' to rename the built-in 'administrator' account is
called 'security by obscurity' and will only keep out people who have *no
idea* what they are doing when it comes to getting into a system. Not to
mention that renaming it and then continuing to utilize it daily pretty much
eliminates the entire (albeit small) usefulness of such a strategy.

I might be naive but I trust the 'professionals' to do the correct thing and
give propper advice.

'Recent'? Since the beginning of the time when systems had users with more
power than others - it has ALWAYS been recommended you run with the least
priviledges possible on an everyday basis - only utilizing the higher
priviledged accounts when you needed to do something specific. This is not
just for the security of the system - but its stability as well. It's
harder to 'accidentally erase a bunch of system necessary files' if you
don't have the power to do so. ;-)


What do *you* mean by 'don't have access'?

Do you mean to the shortcuts that make it easier to run said applications -
or do you mean to the files/folders that actually comprise the applications
themselves?

The above pertains to the 'Limited account' only, all is still available in
the 'Administrator' account --
Cheers,Steph

 

[Jim]

I might be naive but I trust the 'professionals' to do the correct thing
and
give propper advice.

The above pertains to the 'Limited account' only, all is still available
in
the 'Administrator' account --
Cheers,Steph

Somebody changed the permissions on you. Someone also changed some
shortcuts so that they only appear in the Administrator account.

Thus you are in for some extensive repair.

You need to examine the permissions on the programs to make certain that the
Limited account has the required permissions.
You need to examine all shortcuts because someone changed the paths to the
files.
You need to run all of the programs to make certain that all of the required
files can be accessed by the limited account.

In short, it does seem that someone discovered that you had left a gaping
hole in the security of your computer by continuing to use the Administrator
account. And this person
proceeded to create many problems for you.

There is nothing here that cannot be fixed.

Jim

 

[Guest]

Somebody changed the permissions on you. Someone also changed some
shortcuts so that they only appear in the Administrator account.

Thus you are in for some extensive repair.

You need to examine the permissions on the programs to make certain that the
Limited account has the required permissions.
You need to examine all shortcuts because someone changed the paths to the
files.
You need to run all of the programs to make certain that all of the required
files can be accessed by the limited account.

In short, it does seem that someone discovered that you had left a gaping
hole in the security of your computer by continuing to use the Administrator
account. And this person
proceeded to create many problems for you.

There is nothing here that cannot be fixed.

Jim


Thanks Jim,

fat load of help that is , though )
is there by any chance an app to scan the computer and bring all the
permissions , policies and whatnot back to their virgin state automatically?
so that one can start afresh, so to speak?

 

[Guest]

fat load of help that is , though )
is there by any chance an app to scan the computer and bring all the
permissions , policies and whatnot back to their virgin state automatically?
so that one can start afresh, so to speak?

Hi Steph.

Basically what looks to have happened here is "not" that someone has gotten
into your system and changed your settings. What looks to have happened is
that when you changed the "built in administrator" to a user account its
permissions got screwed up. What is probably the best thing to do is log
onto your current admin account, put the original admin account back to an
admin. And Create a New Limited Account and copy your files into that
Profile.

 

[Guest]

Redeeming this situation might be difficult, I'd suggets creating a new user
and starting from there.

When I setup a computer I create a user OTHER than Adminstrator, and
initially make that user a member of the Adminstrators group. This makes it
easier to do the setup than if the user is limited. (In which case you are
forever logging-on, logging-off..) Once everything's working then (if
required) I pull that user out of the Admins group.

I would never user the actual Administrator account for anything other than
emergency repair.