Re: Advice sought on Running XP Home SP2 as Admin or Limited User
- From: "GSD" <nospam@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 23 Nov 2006 16:21:05 +1100
"Bill" <stanton@xxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:LH79h.2224$sf5.696@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
GSDThank you Bill I am really getting some useful information resulting from my
From the sound of things you describe, it would seem that not all the
concepts of Windows multiple users has become clear to you yet.
First, don't give up!!!
Just to be clear, each user has their own desktop. So, any time you have
a multiple user machine, each user would set up their desktops to suit
themselves. You might find it easier to become accustom to XP if you
switch your desktop to "Windows Classic", (right-click the background
portion of your desktop and choose the "Desktop" tab.... you'll see what
I mean there.).
Accounts (that's what users are called) with administrator authority and
those without have equal access to programs and data. However, there
are programs that require administrator authority to be executed. For
example, Windows Installer requires administrator authority. You should
not have any trouble running application programs, such as Word,
Outlook Express or Internet Explorer. If you're having difficulties there,
it's not due to the authority level of the user account.
Your administrator account should have a password, but there's no
reason the general user, being yourself, would require one. You must
remember that any tasks that you run as "Scheduled Tasks" would
necessarily run under the authority of the administrator account, as such
tasks MUST include the authoritative password, for example: Tasks like
automatic LiveUpdate for Norton Antivirus, backup jobs and the like.
I'll stop at this point and await a reply, lest I go on and on when what
I've already offered gave rise to more questions than I already might
have answered.
Bill
California - USA
"GSD" <nospam@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:ug4wK8oDHHA.992@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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 .
query
You are right I am still learning about the different user accounts and
their capabilities .
I think the user accounts would be fine when used for their main purpose
that is to allow different users in the house to have their own set up .
But as a single user I really want the same set up as when I am in the Admin
Account that is already set up, if I am going to make the limited user mode
my main desktop ,otherwise it is not great value to me .
You say that the limited accounts have equal access to data but as I see it
when I am in the limited mode I cannot access the current content of My
Documents . I believe there is a way round this by putting them into shared
but again this seems a lot of messing and cluttering ,when it is just me
wanting to use them.
Outlook Express works of course but has to be set up again for mail and
resubscribe to all the same newsgroups etc. as I have under Admin as I like
to monitor these things as I work on other things . All my email message
archives are in OE on the Admin set up . I get a lot of mail from Genealogy
Lists and from family overseas and I find now if I use the Limited User
account I have to send an email to myself and open it the Admin account to
store in its correct folder . Otherwise I will have messages in 2 different
places. That's as I see it anyway. I know I can just keep swithing back and
forth but not keen on that idea .
The fact that the anti Virus does not update [normally 3 times] per day if I
spend most time in Limited mode is a worry too.
In regard to the other points you raise I have not put any password on my
Admin Account ,with just myself I could see no reason but maybe there is . I
have thought about running the Classic style but resisted so I could become
familiar with the newer XP version .
I know it seems like a lot of whinging on my part but not really just
pointing out as I see it a lot shortcomings for me to use the Limited User
account in my position . As I see it using just the Admin Account as I have
started off doing places me in the same position as I was using Win 98 all
that time with which I was comfortable . However I am listening to everyone
and learning so as I can make a judgement and maybe be convinced otherwise .
GSD
.
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