administrator

[Guest110]

I am the only user on my pc

Donna administrator ..

i am sure i read somewhere i shouldnt be on as administrator all the time

Is that correct please:hail:

the only other account is a ASP>NET machine a account ??? what on earth iis that

[Dan18960]

BM,

There is a difference between Administrator and a MEMBER of the Administrator "group" equivalent.

As an equivalent admin, you are able to do installations, deletions, upgrades, and downgrades without having to log off and log back on.

It also has the ability to elevate your access - I recently visited a client that they didn't know what the previous network tech had assigned for passwords - but because I was elevated to Administrator across the network I was able to login to the workstation as my user and take over management of the computer.

The jest in the field used to be that being admin kinda made you the god of the network - NO ONE DENIED US ACCESS! :cool:

[Seth]

With Administrator privileges, you're allowed to make any changes you like.

With a Limited account, you can't install/uninstall any software or hardware. Basically, the limited account is for another user that you don't want messing up your computer.

See here (http://www.mvps.org/marksxp/WindowsXP/aspdot.php) for the ASP account.

[Guest110]

Once again thank you .. i keep you busy dont i ??

but i know you love it really;)

[dbarrow]

For connection to the outside world....
You should create a limited account with higher security levels for web surfing on sites that may have malicious content or load you up with cookies and adware.

This is the main focus of Vista by restricting the user and isolating them in a sandbox to prevent drive by installs and other malware that can get into the Kernel functions.

A limited user in XP is the same function, it's just that the majority of people failed to ever appreciate or use it.
By creating and using a SAFE SURFER limited user and turning off installs and other functions, casual web browsing, even to the dark side of the web, is a lot safer.
Just logon to that account when you need to get deep into a Google search or shopping or any other web activity where you don't know/trust the sites you may visit.

[Guest110]

thank you

[kelly]

I have some of my customers set up with Limited Accounts for normal day-to-day usage. Keeps them out of trouble.

[Guest110]

I have some of my customers set up with Limited Accounts for normal day-to-day usage. Keeps them out of trouble.
What are you saying

cheeky :laugh: :) :D

[kelly]

I thought I said it pretty clearly, but I guess not. So let me try. Alos - we're talking XP here.

I set up the computer with two accounts. One account has full computer administrator privileges, the other is a 'Limited Account'. You do this via the User Accounts Control Panel. When the machine boots, the user has the choice to log into either of the two accounts. I tell them to use the 'Limited' Account. If they have to load some software then use the account with administrator privileges.

[Guest110]

I thought I said it pretty clearly, but I guess not. So let me try. Alos - we're talking XP here.

I set up the computer with two accounts. One account has full computer administrator privileges, the other is a 'Limited Account'. You do this via the User Accounts Control Panel. When the machine boots, the user has the choice to log into either of the two accounts. I tell them to use the 'Limited' Account. If they have to load some software then use the account with administrator privileges.


No lol you got the wrong end of the stick Kelly ;)


"Keeps them out of trouble.".......... im never trouble:D :D

thanks for the advice

[PeteF]

This is the main focus of Vista by restricting the user and isolating them in a sandbox to prevent drive by installs and other malware that can get into the Kernel functions.

A limited user in XP is the same function, it's just that the majority of people failed to ever appreciate or use it.


I'll be impressed if Vista is successful at implementing restricted user
accounts. I know in XP the restricted user account does not work as you'd
expect because certain applications can still be installed. In XP there is not
enough control so I'm hoping that MS did a better job in Vista.

Typical scenaerio I see all the time with XP is a family PC with several
user accounts, one for each family member. The kids have full adim
rights and the computer becomes infested with spyware. You can't
always setup the kids accounts as restricted because it stops them
from doing things they need to do. Therefore, Vista needs to offer a
good amount of control such that the parent can easily allow or deny
privilages or make exceptions on certain applications.

---pete---

[kern]

I'll be impressed if Vista is successful at implementing restricted user accounts. I know in XP the restricted user account does not work as you'd expect because certain applications can still be installed. In XP there is not enough control so I'm hoping that MS did a better job in Vista.

Typical scenaerio I see all the time with XP is a family PC with several
user accounts, one for each family member. The kids have full adim
rights and the computer becomes infested with spyware. You can't
always setup the kids accounts as restricted because it stops them
from doing things they need to do. Therefore, Vista needs to offer a
good amount of control such that the parent can easily allow or deny
privilages or make exceptions on certain applications.

---pete---

Pete,
The situations you describe are related to 'Home' editions of Windows.
XP Pro, and 'business' versions of Vista DO include the robust security features you describe in the "Group Policy" Service. GP allows you to control nearly every aspect of the OS, unlike the limited security available in XP Home and Vista Home.

[dbarrow]

Group Policy, Security Policy, and Limited User policy has always been in place in XP.
But.... outside of the corp IT world, nobody can figure out how to use it!
Defaults are all at Administrator levels unless you work to set restrictions ... and it ain't all that easy!
Unless you know exactly what you are doing, which can take considerable research in the MSKB, mucking around in Group Policy or Security Policy can be extremely dangerous! (I found it was very easy to lock myself out of my own user account!)

Just setting up a limited account with many of the restrictions you should apply can be a tough nut to crack requiring dabbling in many unfamiliar areas and menus.

In the IT world, they create 'generic' limited accounts that have all the necessary restrictions set up. IT can easily ship one of these 'generic' profiles down the network to your machine to replace a messed up or corrupted user profile. Many IT departments, where your user profile is under their control, will routinely and regularly overwrite and replace your profile with a fresh 'generic' just to purge anything that may have accumulated there.

The difference in Vista is using many of these features with the defaults reversed to more restricted and isolating critical Kernel functions in a sandbox where outside apps can't gain access or make modifications.
Whereas in XP the user has to work to restrict things, Vista makes the user work to access things, much to the dismay of users accustomed to things being the other way around!

[PeteF]

Group Policy, Security Policy, and Limited User policy has always been in place in XP.
But.... outside of the corp IT world, nobody can figure out how to use it!


Good point!
Practically speaking, it's not really a feature if nobody can figure out how
to use it. I tested the restricted user account in Win XP Home a few times
and was surprised to see that I could still install certain applications. I never
really tried setting up the Policies in XP Pro but I have looked at some of the
options in those policy editors. It made my head spin to think how messed
up a system could get by adjusting things and forgetting which ones you
changed. There has to be a more simple way to do it in order for the average
user to make use of restricted user accounts. They probably need to have
some preset configurations you can choose from and then maybe an
EXCLUSIONS list where you can give selected applications full rights.

---pete---