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




"Kerry Brown" <kerry@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx*a*m> wrote in message
news:O25neDqDHHA.1748@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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 .



Thanks for that Kerry , I find your comments very interesting .
What you are saying I guess is that Win 98 was not very secure but I managed
to survive it .
You are the second person to suggest creating a second Administrator account
.. Could you clarify the reason for this .

GSD


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