Using a New User Account

[Carl]

I read an interesting exchange here recently where it was noted that
one is best advised NOT to routinely log in and use Windows on an
administrative account.

If I understood the thread correctly, it suggested that one is better
advised to create a non-admin user account and use that instead,
switching to an admin account only for those times when you need to
install news software, etc.

I have created a non-admin user account, and figured out how to gain
access to the documents I had created in my admin user account.

I was surprised to find, however, that in this new user account, I do
not have access to some programs I had downloaded while in my Admin
account.

For example, I read that Notepad ++ is far superior to Notepad and so
downloaded it and was using it in my admin account. However, I cannot
find it in my new user account.

How do I get access to such programs as this?

Many thanks,
Carl

 

[JS]

You may have misunderstood.

Windows XP has a default administrator account named: "administrator"

It has as the name implies admin privileges.
It is this account that most often user's are advised
not to use but to create a new account with admin privileges.
(Usually the new account name is the same as your name)

If however you truly want a "Limited" account and need access
to your documents then temporary give the limited account admin
privileges and copy your file to the new account. See the articles
below as you may need to know this when copying the files.

Access is Denied Error Message - Windows XP Pro:
(should work with Media Center)
(Note: Simple File Sharing is always on for XP Home)
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/810881

Also read these articles about how to take ownership of files.
http://www.winxptutor.com/ownership.htm
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=308421

Understanding and Applying NTFS Permission in Windows XP Professional
http://www.winxpsolution.com/ApplyingNTFSXPPro.aspx

 

[Carl]

You may have misunderstood.

Clearly, I did. I thought what was being suggested was that I
should create a new user account with no admin privileges.

If I now understand, what I need to do is delete the User account I
created w/o admin privileges then create a new one with admin
privileges and use this one as my "normal" account.

Before I go off and make another error, may I trouble you to confirm
that I have this straight?

Also, thanks for those two URLS. I will bookmark them and read
them.

Carl.

 

[Leonard Grey]

What's correct to say is that you should not use a user account with
Administrator permissions for your day-to-day computing.

Windows XP has a built-in /system/ account called Administrator, which
has Administrator permissions. This is /not/ a user account and should
not be used as a user account. The built-in Administrator is your
lifeline should you be unable to access your user accounts.

There should be one user account with Administrator permissions -- this
is typically setup when Windows is first installed or when you turn on
your computer for the first time -- and one user account with reduced
permissions for each user of the computer. In XP Home such an account is
called Limited User; in XP Pro it's simply called User.

An account with Administrator permissions has full access to all
capabilities of the computer. Use it when you need to perform functions
that require this level of permissions, e.g., to defragment or perform
Disk Error Checking (chkdsk). For all other functions use a Limited/User
account, which has much less access to the computer's capabilities. The
idea behind this is that, should a Limited/User account become infected,
the malware will have less than total control over the computer. That's
the theory, at least.

There are inconveniences to using accounts with reduced permissions, as
you have found. They are, by definition, denied access to applications
you are used to accessing in an account with Administrator permissions.
With XP Pro you have the ability to fine tune the permissions granted to
users. This not possible in XP Home, and many programs will simply not
run properly or at all in a Limited User account. Eventually, this can
make XP Home users throw up their hands and go back to using an account
with Administrator permissions.

In both Home and Pro, you have access to the Runas function, which lets
you run a program with elevated permissions, as long as you know the
password of an account with Administrator permissions.

To easily transfer documents, spreadsheets and other user files among
accounts, copy or move them to the Shared Documents folder.

 

[JS]

No need to delete the "Limited" account, you can
use this account as Leonard suggested.

Just create a new account with admin privileges.

--
JS
http://www.pagestart.com

You may have misunderstood.

Clearly, I did. I thought what was being suggested was that I
should create a new user account with no admin privileges.

If I now understand, what I need to do is delete the User account I
created w/o admin privileges then create a new one with admin
privileges and use this one as my "normal" account.

Before I go off and make another error, may I trouble you to confirm
that I have this straight?

Also, thanks for those two URLS. I will bookmark them and read
them.

Carl.

 

[Gerry]

Leonard

This viewpoint is new to me. Your comment "That's the theory, at least"
implies you are equally sceptical?

"For all other functions use a Limited/User account, which has much less
access to the computer's capabilities. The idea behind this is that,
should a Limited/User account become infected, the malware will have
less than total control over the computer. That's the theory, at least."

I had no idea malware respected boundaries? Any references to quote?

I thought the idea of a Limited User account was to protect the computer
from a user with limited computing skills? Where you have a supervisor
responsible for a number of computers and they wish to prevent
unauthorised changes to software and settings.

--



Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Carl]

Just want to thank everyone who has contributed to this thread; it has
been a real eye-opener for me.

On my Macs, I have always had two user accounts: the account I
normally use and that has full administrator privileges and a "virgin"
account I use for trouble-shooting purposes.

When something occasionally goes wonky with the Mac, I will switch to
the virgin account and see if the problem repeats there. If it does
not, then I know my problem is in my Home/User's folder and I start
troubleshooting there.

I am going to delete my account with limited access: I agree with
Leonard's "Eventually, this can
make XP Home users throw up their hands and go back to using an
account with Administrator permissions. "

Errare humanum est , indeed!

Carl