XP File Permissions - interesting problem

[kathleenREM_OVE]

Hi all, hope someone can help. I am working on this
computer that has the administrator account password-
protected. I have a couple games installed (Space Colony
and The Sims) that run under all the accounts but only
save when run under the admin account. I would like for
these games to be able to save w/o giving the users the
admin password, or log in for them every time. The game
saves when I "run as" administrator under the other
accounts. EA Games support and the makers of Space
Colony support webpages are horrible (why am I not
surprised?)

My guess is that the standard users don't have access
rights to the game folder, so I tried to change the
file/folder permissions (reference article 308418 Set,
View, or Remove File and Folder Permissions) - but here's
the catch - when I go into "Control Panel>Folder
Options>View>Advanced Settings", there's no option for
enabling/disabling "Use Simple File Sharing
(Recommended)"! I've done this on my computer at home
and it worked, so I know it can be done. Is this a virus
or something? So since I can't figure out how to disable
simple file sharing, I can't change around user access
rights to files and folders. I haven't been able to find
anything on the MS website about that option not being
there.

I've also tried running the games under "Windows 98/ME
compatibility mode" but that had no effect.

Any suggestions?

On a related note, does anybody know how to get the
game "Fallout" running under XP? I couldn't even get it
to install under W2K, and it least it installs under XP,
but then when I try to run it I get a "Game requires at
least 20MB hard disk space to run" error (I have GBs
free).

 

[André Terpstra]

You need to have the system partition formatted with NTFS in order for this
option to become available.You can check this in My Computer by selecting
the C-drive and noting its properties in the left-hand pane.

BTW: is it XP Pro or Home?

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

If the PC has WinXP Home, Simplified File Sharing _cannot_ be
disabled.

This is quite common if the software was designed for Win9x/Me, or
if it was intended for WinNT/2K/XP, but was improperly designed. Quite
simply, the installation routine for this application doesn't "know"
how to handle individual user profiles, or the application tries to
make changes to "off-limits" sections of the registry. Quite often,
you can make this software available to other users by _copying_ the
Start Menu folder and Desktop folder shortcuts from the user profile
from which the software was installed in the corresponding folders in
the user profile(s) in which you'd like the software to be accessible.
If the application is something that can/should be made available to
all current and future users, copying the shortcuts into the
corresponding locations of the All Users profile will do the trick.

NOTE: This may not work if the software requires access to parts
of the hard drive and/or registry that are not normally accessible to
regular users. (This won't occur if the application was properly
written.) If this does prove to be the case, however, you're left
with two options: Either grant the necessary users appropriate higher
access privileges (either as Power Users or local administrators), or
replace the application with one that was properly designed
specifically for WinNT/2K/XP.

Some Programs Do Not Work If You Log On from Limited Account
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q307091

Additionally, here are a couple of tips suggested, in a reply to a
different post, by MS-MVP Kent W. England:

"If your game or application works with admin accounts, but not with
limited accounts, you can fix it to allow limited users to access the
program files folder with "change" capability rather than "read" which
is the default.

C:\>cacls "Program Files\appfolder" /e /t /p users:c

where "appfolder" is the folder where the application is installed.

If you wish to undo these changes, then run

C:\>cacls "Program Files\appfolder" /e /t /p users:r

If you still have a problem with running the program or saving
settings on limited accounts, you may need to change permissions on
the registry keys. Run regedit.exe and go to HKLM\Software\vendor\app,
where "vendor\app" is the key that the software vendor used for your
specific program. Change the permissions on this key to allow Users
full control."


Bruce Chambers

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having both at once. -- RAH

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the tips. You're right - the computer is
running XP Home Edition. I had forgotten there were two
versions, and I guess I was thinking too sensibly to
think Microsoft would put out a user-login type of OS
that wouldn't let you change priveleges for specific
files or folders...

 

[-R-e-h-a-n-]

My guess is it must already be NTFS as otherwise there are no permissions to
be set and hence no restriction (therefore the game should have run anyway).

Note that, simple file sharing is an option available for non-domain
computers only.

If it is NTFS but it is XP Home, then boot in Safe mode to access the
security tab for that folder. (Security tab isonly availabel in safe mode in
XP Home).

Otherwise enable the Security tab using the following:
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/tips/xp_security_tab.htm