windows 2000 administration is it really this hard?

[mark roberts]

I bought win2k thinking that I could use it to stop my kids from
wrecking our family PC by fiddling.

Am I wrong in assuming that they I can log on as Administrator install
all the programs we need, give the kids power users log on names and
passwords and expect it all to work?

I've done this on 2 PCs now and I end up in the same position.
All the office applications install fine with me logged in as
administrator.
Once I log in as a power user and try to use word say, an 'installing'
box appears and I have to cancel several boxes before the application
shows itself. I've tried inserting the discs as it requests but nothing
works.
I have similar problems with many other applications.

Can somebody put me out of my misery and tell me how its done or that
it just isn't possible to do without being some sort of networking guru.

I have the same problem with my work PC. I end up breaking all the rules
and just running the bloody thin as admin'.

If so is XP any better? If not does this mean that there is no operating
system that can be used by mere mortals?

 

[Danny Sanders]

Look for applications certified to run on Win 2k or XP. They will have the
option to install just for the present user of for all users of the system
during the install of the app.


All the office applications install fine with me logged in as

administrator.
Once I log in as a power user and try to use word say, an 'installing'
box appears and I have to cancel several boxes before the application
shows itself. I've tried inserting the discs as it requests but nothing
works.

Which version of Office? Did you select "run all from my computer" if you
are using one of the later versions of Office?

hth
DDS W 2k MVP MCSE

 

[mark roberts]

Look for applications certified to run on Win 2k or XP. They will have the
option to install just for the present user of for all users of the system
during the install of the app.

It's all fairly fresh stuff. I have the most trouble with the Office
2000 apps.
But there are other apps like games that install and work fine when I'm
logged in as Admin but I'm at a loss as to how I should get them to work
for other users.
Paint shop pro 8.

All the office applications install fine with me logged in as

Which version of Office? Did you select "run all from my computer" if you
are using one of the later versions of Office?

Office 2000. When I installed them on the new PC I kept an eye out for
any options such as you mention and I don't remember seeing any.

Frankly I'm annoyed that its so difficult to configure.
I've been messing about with computers for nearly a decade; I cant
believe there isn't a straightforward way to do this.

If I have to select some parameter during installation if I want all
users to be able to use the programme; would I have to reinstall
everything if I had started on a PC with only an Admin and then decided
to have users later?
Is it not the case that the Admin log on is for 'Admin' operations?
Should the operating system not assume that all programs installed by
the Admin will need to be used by users on a day to day basis?
I'd imagined this to be the case and all I would have to do is assign
privileges to each user so that they could use this app or that folder.

 

[Danny Sanders]

Office 2000. When I installed them on the new PC I kept an eye out for

any options such as you mention and I don't remember seeing any.

Excuse me if I'm not 100% correct on these descriptions. In the last year
I've gone from Office 2k to Office XP to Office 2003 so I may be confusing
one with the other.

With XP and 2003 there is a screen similar to the windows explorer screen in
that the "folder" (for lack of a better term) "Microsoft Office" has
"folders" under it represented as Microsoft Office Access, MS Office Excel,
etc. At this screen you would right click on say MS Office excel and select
run all from my computer. I *think* Office 2000 is the same.
From your description of what is happening with opening Office under another
account it sounds like these applications are set to install on first use.

If I have to select some parameter during installation if I want all
users to be able to use the programme; would I have to reinstall
everything if I had started on a PC with only an Admin and then decided
to have users later?

With Office It sounds like they are set up to "install on first use". You
can log on ad Admin and go to add remove programs - MS Office - change
features. Then when you reach the screen to choose update options for
applications, right click on each Office application and select run all from
my computer.
We use Office here. I have installed Office 2000, then Office XP, then
Office 2003, as Admin on 50+ computers over the last couple of years and
selecting "run all from my computer" and *any* user can use all the
applications.

Should the operating system not assume that all programs installed by
the Admin will need to be used by users on a day to day basis?

No. I install some applications on desktops I don't want users to have
access to but I need when logged on as Admin.


hth
DDS W 2k MVP MCSE

 

[mark]

With Office It sounds like they are set up to "install on first use". You
can log on ad Admin and go to add remove programs - MS Office - change
features. Then when you reach the screen to choose update options for
applications, right click on each Office application and select run all from
my computer.
We use Office here. I have installed Office 2000, then Office XP, then
Office 2003, as Admin on 50+ computers over the last couple of years and
selecting "run all from my computer" and *any* user can use all the
applications.

Something's not right.
It still doesn't work.
There's is no such option with Paint shop pro.
I now have the problem that I cannot access my network neighbourhood
from either computer as it asks for a user name and password.
I could weep.
Any idea what I've done?
Right now I'd settle for just leaving them all as admin log ons.

No. I install some applications on desktops I don't want users to have
access to but I need when logged on as Admin.

If you are that kind of user would it not be easier to assign those
restrictions to the apps you don't want ppl to see?

Then the rest of us would have apps that work for all users and all we'd
have to ask is how we hide certain applications?


It may seem easy to ppl with a clue but to the rest of us its just a
nightmare. Once upon a time I had the time to pore over manuals and
fiddle far into the night; now I just want it to work.

 

[mark]

In message <[email protected]>, mark
Nightmare.

I can access the PC1 from PC2 .
I cant access PC 2 from PC1.

What I attempted to do on both PC's was create a new power user. I tried
the option for Office on both and I cant say it's made much difference.

On both PC's the about 50% of programs were inaccessible while logged in
as a power user.
I spent a good hour or so reconfiguring my news and mail program
(turnpike) so that it would work after logging back in as Admin on PC1.

Neither computer would access each others share folders/printers because
a user name and password were requested.

I got PC1 working by going to Settings>CP>users and
passwords>advanced>advanced user management>advanced >users right
clicking the admin account and making sure user cannot change password
and password never expires were checked.

Doing the same on PC2 had no effect.

The printer is attached to PC1 so now I cannot print from PC2.

It is ridiculous.