basic Xp administration

[barney5]

I am a beginner

I am taking a class on admin, MCDST next month. However, I need to control a system now.

I have looked on the net but I cannot seem to get the basic answers I need.

What I am trying to do is: I have an Admin and User account.

However, I keep making changes to both accounts instead of just the user using gpedit. Like hide the run command in the start menu and Programs in the programs list. . I do not understand how to separate the two accounts.

Computer Configuration: means whole computer?

User Configuration: Means each user? If so how.

On the other hand, gpedit might not be the right tool for what I want to do.

Question can I log in as the user then act as an admin in the user account and make changes.

I am sure your laughing by now so please set me strait already.

 

[DNose]

I have had the same type of problems understanding and trying to do some of the samethings you are.

There might be a better site/forum for this issue. Most of this site are hardware guys.

Goodluck.

 

[Zugzwang152]

you can use the runas command from the command prompt to run programs as another user, provided you have the password.

 

[stash]

There is no easy way to apply the settings in gpedit as you propose. You can do this with a domain and group policies, but not really effectively with a standalone box.

You might want to look into the shared computer toolkit: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/maintain/sct/default.mspx

 

[Tsaico]

The computer configuration is the who computer and the user configuration is any users that use this machine depending on GPO and the prespective OU that the users are in. I think you are jumping a little quick without getting the AD basics.

If you think of this way, things are broken down this way, user, computer,domain, forest. And the rules that apply to the top applies to the OUs under it. So if in your example, you have no domain, only a computer (which makes doing this harder), when you set the GP computer configuration to have something like no "My Documents" on the desktop, then regardless of who you are logged in as, admin or otherwise, you will not have the "My documents" folder on there.

If you created a specific local group, such as NoDocs, then added your specific user, then made the change in the GP of user configuartion to apply to only those in the group NoDocs, then this user will get the changes, but the others who are not in the group will get the defaults. If you use something like, computername\users, then everyone will get the GP since all accounts are part of that group by default.

I would also suggest not using the runas command for this sort of practicing, since if you are creating group policies, you want to see all changes as the users log in and out. (instead of refreshing security policies and such).

But in any case, it is a sticky area that even some more seasoned people get stuck in, so just keep up the lab work and you'll be fine.

 

[barney5]

More info.

I have one node XP Pro.
One admin account.
One user account.
Four Possible Users on one user account.

I do not want any of the four possible users to do malicious things like, command prompt, run command, admin tools, system tools, or even mess with the antivirus program, and my software tools in the admin account.

I know these users
They will if they can!!!! Thanks for your help.

 

[barney5]

This really explains why I have had such a hard time trying to manage this darn computer.

I will show this to the owner and tell him he is high.

I have used computers with Deep Freeze on them and you could not F them up.

I did not think this was that bad of a scenario. I now understand that this is what you would call a public access computer no matter how you look at it.

Stash: It seems that the description from your link would be more of what I understand Deep Freeze to be.

I will show the owner that his convenience will cost him more then it is worth to not have
different accounts.

Thanks for all your help, people.