XP Pro and Local User

[Morganman]

I have a single machine set up with 5 user accounts. The problem I am having is that any programs that get installed by one user have all their program groups and some desktop icons installed to the "All Users" profile, resulting in all 5 users having the program appear in their environment.

How can I stop this behavior? I just want the programs a person installs to be visible to that person, not every user who logs in.

 

[linney]

Many programs have the option to install for just one user or to install for all users in their setup, but this is just referring to start menu entries.

Normally there is one folder for program files where all programs are installed to, you or any user could install programs to another folder in their own user folder rather than the common program files folder.

If you were to have one Administrator user and 4 limited users (recommended) then the Administrator would be the only one allowed to install programs and could place them wherever he wanted.

You could just delete the entries for unneeded program links from your start menu.

 

[bcastner]

In the end, everything is controlled by:

. the user type (and implicitly their rights)
. the installer for any application

Your description makes it seem as if all five users are local Administrators. If this is the case, then proactively there is nothing you can do. To remove entries that you do not desire for individual users there are manual entries you could make in terms of disk permissions, program access through Group Policy, etc. but to manage this cleanly please consider the terrific Doug Knox utility:

http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_securityconsole.htm

 

[gpalmer711]

Also if you insist on having all users as admins you could always make the All USers desktop and start menu folders readonly using ntfs permissions. That would stop the icons being added for the different applications.

Greg Palmer
Free Software for Adminstrators

http://www.palmersoft.co.uk

 

[rocketbabe]

I have the exact opposite problem. I have a PC with one Administrator and 2 limited users. Quickbooks was installed by the Administrator prior to the 2 limited users being added. I now need to give one of the limited users access to Quickbooks.

It was mentioned previously that "If you were to have one Administrator user and 4 limited users (recommended) then the Administrator would be the only one allowed to install programs and could place them wherever he wanted."

Can I simply move something into the limited user's profile to her access to Quickbooks? Or do I need to install the program again, but this time put it into one of her folders?

Wendy

 

[rhoden]

Rocketbabe - if this case, log in as administrator, go to the Properties of the application(s), choose the Security tab, and add the User(s) as needed to the Groups or user names list.

 

[linney]

294676 - HOW TO: Enable and Use the "Run As" Command When Running Programs in Windows

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;294676&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

"To start a program as an administrator" in the Help and Support program.


These are by our own Greg Palmer MVP.

Running Legacy Software on XP with a limited user Account
thread779-676827

http://www.palmersoft.co.uk/runasuser.htm