Re: Advice sought on Running XP Home SP2 as Admin or Limited User

Running as a limited user is far more secure than running as an
administrator. Most other modern OS' are normally run as a standard or
limited user. This is the main reason they are more secure than Windows XP.
Unfortunately with XP this is almost impossible for most people. It requires
a high level of skill to set things up so this will work. It's hard to know
where to place the blame for this. I believe it's a combination of things.
Many programmers started programming in DOS based versions of Windows where
all users were equal and could do anything. They never learned how to
program for security because there was no security in the OS. Microsoft
never really encouraged programmers to write programs that would work when
run as a standard user. Indeed as you have noticed many Microsoft programs
don't work unless the user is an administrator. Microsoft has seen the light
with Vista and is starting to enforce better programming.

With XP you are probably stuck running as an administrator. Make sure you
have antivirus, antispyware, and firewall programs running.

If you do want to run as a standard user then you will have to keep
switching the account back and forth between standard and administrator.
Create a second administrator account. Use this account for installing new
programs and maintenance tasks. If you install a program with the
administrator account and then have problems with the standard account you
can temporarily set the standard account as an administrator, then run the
program and let it update whatever settings it needs. Once this is done
switch the account back to a standard account. This will get most programs
running. Those that don't complain to the developer. It's sloppy programming
on their part that is the problem, not XP itself. If programs are written
properly they need administrator status for installation only.

--
Kerry
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
www.vistahelp.ca



GSD wrote:
I am a late convert to XP after using Win 98 for the last 7 years and
am trying to come to terms with the User Account side of things
particularly from the security aspect .My new PC was set up by my
supplier with myself as the one Admin User .
However, as I have read more I have seen advice to the effect that
even as a stand alone ,single user I should use a Limited User
Account for everyday use , particularly Internet which I do use a lot.
To try this out I have now set up a new Limited User Account but I
find it very impractical for a retired person like myself who spends
quite a bit of time using the computer for a variety of things .
As I should have expected I guess ,there are a number of programs
that do not seem to work or even do not appear on the Desktop when I
switch to the Limited User . The Microsoft Works Suite and Word keep
ask me Register the Software which I already have when installed ,
the Quicken finance program tells me I have a corrupted Licence so I
have to switch back to use that . I now realize too that My CA
Antivirus cannot Update from the Limited User Account .
If I were to operate from this account most of the time I also need
to set up OE again for mail and newsgroups .

To stop rambling further my Question is mainly -what is the
difference between me just using the Admin account which allows me to
do everything at the same time and the way I successfully operated as
a single user on Win 98 for 7 years appears . Is XP more insecure , I
would have thought the reverse . I may have been fortunate but during
my use of Win 98 I never had any Virus Infections nor have I
encountered Spyware for which I regularly check using a number of the
well know Tools . Not to say that it cannot happen I realize that but
I try to be pretty careful .
I am tempted to go back to using just the Admin account but perhaps
there is something I have missed in all this that could help make the
Limited User Account more usable .
I would appreciate any advice from experienced XP users .

GSD


.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: I thought user security was a holy grail
    ... ' in this example the command prompt is being run as the administrator ... The next step is to save and make a shortcut in the limited user account ... > sub, "Programs" sub sub, and "Startup" sub sub sub. ... >>using an admin account. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin)
  • Re: I thought user security was a holy grail
    ... Hi Kevin, I was wondering if I could get you to contact me offline. ... > ' in this example the command prompt is being run as the administrator ... > The next step is to save and make a shortcut in the limited user ... >>>using an admin account. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin)
  • Re: Myst III, Exile will not launch in Limited User
    ... Here's a utility to allow Administrators to permit users to run games: ... limited user account(s) to an admin account in Control Panel / User Accounts, ... When your limited user wants to play a game that requires Administrator ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.games)
  • Re: Problem running applications
    ... Windows XP has two main types of user accounts: ... accounts, one with administrator powers to install/uninstall stuff, and make ... another main account for running usual programs. ... If you run with limited user ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: Myst III, Exile will not launch in Limited User
    ... limited user account(s) to an admin account in Control Panel / User Accounts, ... When your limited user wants to play a game that requires Administrator ... Exile will only work if Son is made Administrator. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.games)