Mulituser accounts-Windows XP

Patty B wrote:
> I install new programs in Windows XP in the manager acct. but can't
> run them under any other account. How do I make them accessible to
> all accounts?


This is quite common if the software was designed for Win9x/Me, or
if it was intended for WinNT/2K/XP, but was improperly designed. Quite
simply, the installation routine for this application doesn't "know"
how to handle individual user profiles, or the application tries to
make changes to "off-limits" sections of the registry. Quite often,
you can make this software available to other users by _copying_ the
Start Menu folder and Desktop folder shortcuts from the user profile
from which the software was installed in the corresponding folders in
the user profile(s) in which you'd like the software to be accessible.
If the application is something that can/should be made available to
all current and future users, copying the shortcuts into the
corresponding locations of the All Users profile will do the trick.

NOTE: This may not work if the software requires access to parts
of the hard drive and/or registry that are not normally accessible to
regular users. (This won't occur if the application was properly
written.) If this does prove to be the case, however, you're left
with two options: Either grant the necessary users appropriate higher
access privileges (either as Power Users or local administrators), or
replace the application with one that was properly designed
specifically for WinNT/2K/XP.

Some Programs Do Not Work If You Log On from Limited Account
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q307091

Additionally, here are a couple of tips suggested, in a reply to a
different post, by MS-MVP Kent W. England:

"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."

--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:
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You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having
both at once. - RAH

Usually, installing a program enters information into the registry
specifically for the userid the program is installed with.
Some programs install for "All Users", but that is decided by the
developer's installation routine.
If your program(s) are not of that kind, then it is a bit of a hasstle to
get them working for a specific user (or users) on that machine.
As manager, temporarily make the userid a member of the Administrators
group, logon as that user and install the program again. Install it in the
same location it already is in so you don't end up with multiple copies of
the same program.
This second install will take care of building whatever is necessary for
that user (registry settings, desktop or start, all programs shortcuts,
etc.)
Once installed, log back on as manager and remove the groupmembership for
that user from the Administrators group so it becomes a 'regular' user again
(as far as the system privileges are concerned).
Bit of a pain, but it will do the trick.

hth

george



"Patty B" <Patty B.RemoveThis@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:B7C505B0-677C-466F-9F04-7BB1A4B827F4@microsoft.com...
>I install new programs in Windows XP in the manager acct. but can't run
>them
> under any other account. How do I make them accessible to all accounts?