Help with limited accounts on Windows XP

[BuckFuddy]

I just finished installing Windows XP Pro for my brother's new computer. I created 3 accounts...1 admin account, 1 limited account for him and 1 for visitors...made possible thanks to mechBgon's guide. :thumbsup:

What I want to know is if it's possible to transfer the settings of applications/desktop shortcuts/quick launch/wallpaper/etc. from the admin account to the limited accounts without having to redo them all individually?

I also noticed that the stuff I downloaded using the admin account doesn't appear on the limited accounts. Is there a way to fix this?

One more question, when you use Acronis to make an image of the entire OS, does it include the limited accounts too?

Any help appreciated, thanks.

 

[mechBgon]

One way of duplicating the Admin account would be to run the Files And Settings Transfer Wizard, found in Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools. You can export a copy of the setup, then run the FAST wizard again from the other accounts to import.

If you want downloaded files to be available to everyone, put them in the Shared Documents folders, will that work for your purposes? If it's downloaded programs that you installed and they don't show up, log onto the Admin account, right-click the Start button, pick Explorer All Users and then put the missing shortcuts into the Start menu for the All Users branch of the file system.

Hope that's some help 🙂

 

[Brazen]

Originally posted by: BuckFuddy
One more question, when you use Acronis to make an image of the entire OS, does it include the limited accounts too?

Since mechBgon answered everything else pretty well, I'll just say to this: yes, any imaging software will pick up the limited accounts right along with everything else.

 

[BuckFuddy]

Hey guys thanks for the help. I tried using the FAST wizard and it was able to transfer some settings for the desktop/quick launch, but I can't get it to transfer the settings from software such as Firefox. When I start any program under a limited account, it just assumes that it's my first time using it. The Shared Documents folders work fine, thanks for letting me know.

Also, do you know if having all three accounts running at the same time would eat up a lot of memory? There's only 1gb of RAM atm, but I'll probably add more later.

 

[nordloewelabs]

Originally posted by: BuckFuddy
What I want to know is if it's possible to transfer the settings of applications/desktop shortcuts/quick launch/wallpaper/etc. from the admin account to the limited accounts without having to redo them all individually?

i have always wondered if there was a solution for this problem.... my approach is creating and thoroughly configuring an admin account, then converting it into a Limited Acc. does not make all the accounts look the same, but at least guarantees that a single Limited Acc will look the way you want to.

there must be a utility to get this done.

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: BuckFuddy
Hey guys thanks for the help. I tried using the FAST wizard and it was able to transfer some settings for the desktop/quick launch, but I can't get it to transfer the settings from software such as Firefox. When I start any program under a limited account, it just assumes that it's my first time using it. The Shared Documents folders work fine, thanks for letting me know.

I heard that you can start the computer in Safe Mode, log on as the "One True Administrator" account (normally not visible), then copy a fully-configured account's profile over the Default User profile, and all subsequent accounts will inherit the setup as it stood at that point in time. Personally, I don't WANT my different accounts set up the same, but hey 🙂

Also, do you know if having all three accounts running at the same time would eat up a lot of memory? There's only 1gb of RAM atm, but I'll probably add more later.

It'll depend on what programs they're using, mostly. On XP, with 1GB, I think three accounts is doable with run-of-the-mill stuff (Web, IM, email, media playback).

Congrats on trying the non-Admin user account thing. I've been sending a badly-out-of-date Win2000 system through some exploit-bearing websites recently, and it's an eye-opener to see even a horribly-exploitable system hold up against malware when using a non-Admin account, and then get pwned when using an Administrator account. one example

 

[VirtualLarry]

Originally posted by: mechBgon
I heard that you can start the computer in Safe Mode, log on as the "One True Administrator" account (normally not visible), then copy a fully-configured account's profile over the Default User profile, and all subsequent accounts will inherit the setup as it stood at that point in time. Personally, I don't WANT my different accounts set up the same, but hey 🙂

You should be able to login using the real administrator account, by hitting C-A-D twice at the user-selection screen, and then typing "Administrator" as the username, and putting in the password.

There's also another way to cause accounts to show/hide on the user screen, but I don't know what that is, offhand.

I set up my friend's computer with an Admin account, and multiple limited-access accounts for each user, and he gets along with it pretty well. (I installed Firefox and showed him how to use that, and installed Flash and Java for him too.)

But he runs into problems, when installing a non-XP-compliant program using the Admin account, because it expects the Program Files directory to be world-writable by any user. The solution is to change permissions (using NTFS here) on the program's directory, and drop shortcuts into each user's start menu or desktop, but he isn't that advanced that he can do that himself.

His "UltimateBet" online software, as well as Unreal Tournament, have that problem. Also, DVD Decryptor needs Admin rights when running using SPTD. I don't think it does using ASPI, but I haven't installed ASPI on his machine. (Probably should have.)

 

[BuckFuddy]

I decided to go through each account and change the settings one at a time because I didn't want to mess something up by accident and end up having to do everything over again. I just wished that the FAST wizard would work easier and perhaps more efficiently. Does Windows Vista have a better way of doing this or is it the same?

Everything on the limited accounts worked fine until I wanted to create a profile or save a game in Splinter Cell. I can only do these things on the Admin account, but not the limited accounts... Is there a way around this or am I completely screwed? The people using the computer will most certainly play games also, so I hope there's a solution to this than to change the accounts back to Admin status. 🙁

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: BuckFuddy
I decided to go through each account and change the settings one at a time because I didn't want to mess something up by accident and end up having to do everything over again. I just wished that the FAST wizard would work easier and perhaps more efficiently. Does Windows Vista have a better way of doing this or is it the same?

Everything on the limited accounts worked fine until I wanted to create a profile or save a game in Splinter Cell. I can only do these things on the Admin account, but not the limited accounts... Is there a way around this or am I completely screwed? The people using the computer will most certainly play games also, so I hope there's a solution to this than to change the accounts back to Admin status. 🙁

Try this: edit the permissions on the C:\Program Files\Splinter Cell (or whatever) directory to give the Users usergroup increased permissions to it. How to do that: http://www.mechbgon.com/build/LimitedSW.html Start by adding Modify permissions, and go to Full Control if necessary. Also note the other directories to look at, mentioned on that page as well.

Or install Windows Vista, leave UAC enabled, and let it do the dirty work 😀

 

[BuckFuddy]

Hey I tried playing the games under Admin accounts first and then switched them back to limited accounts and now I can save the games!

Thanks for all the help guys, this forum rocks! 🙂

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: BuckFuddy
Hey I tried playing the games under Admin accounts first and then switched them back to limited accounts and now I can save the games!

Thanks for all the help guys, this forum rocks! 🙂

yeah 😎