Re: AOM-Titans-XP home-limited user accounts. ????

From: Jimmy S. (Private)
Date: 03/14/04 

Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2004 23:27:43 -0500

Hi Viciii,

I enjoyed reading your way with words in this post. Here's an idea ...

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:

What I do is 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.
_________________________________________________________
<viciii3@veNrOiSnet.com> wrote in message news:ohh750leb62rdmv6bp67qcbh0lg47lmlvv@4ax.com...
| Hello everyone.
|
| I seem to be a little confused...I was under the impression that the
| installation of the AoM expansion "The Titans" would allow XP Home
| limited account users to now play BOTH the original AoM AND the
| expansion pack. Apparently I misread??
|
|  After installing the Titans EP, Limited Account users can only play
| the Titans...not the original AoM...is this correct?
|
| I have tried all my usual tricks from MVP Kent:
|
| >"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."
|
| One or both of the above has worked with 99.9% of non "XP aware"
| software, if done in the Administrator account in Safe Mode.
|
| Not this time. Not on an MS program. (how ironic is that?)
|
| I find it even MORE ironic that I bought an OS with different types
| of accounts, for extra system security...but none of the other users
| are able to run anything without me DISABLING that same security by
| making everyone an Administrator. I'm going to restrain myself, here,
| and only say...that's just plain stupid.
|
| Forget software being "XP Aware"... how about XP being "Software
| Aware"???? Why can't I simply have the option, as an administrator, to
| allow "All Users" to access any chosen software with change ability??
| I've heard that XP PRO allows this...HMmmm, the single biggest
| headache I've had with XP Home can be "fixed"...for exactly how many
| $$ ??
|
| I'm sorry...I digress. I told myself I would not do that but...I did
| restrain myself. You should have heard me 20 minutes ago!
|
| Is there any other "trickses" up the collective MVP sleeve that will
| allow a Limited User to run AoM, or do I allow my 2 teenagers to run
| roughshod all over my prized, stable system, installing BS from
| anywhere and making changes to what they THINK will help them with
| whatever they are doing?
|
| The first person to say "Tell them not to mess with stuff they don't
| know" is my nominee for NON-PARENT of the YEAR!
|
| ROTFLMBO!
|
| Seriously...any help is appreciated...and thanks for letting me
| "vent".
|
| Vic

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