Need a suggestion for a crappy application to install that requires admin rights.

[spyordie007]

For a Helpdesk candidate I want to test his skills to identify problems and one of the tests we came up with is to have an XP box setup to automatically log in with an account that doesnt have admin privilages. The plan is to than get him to try and install an application that requires admin privilages and have him figure out why he cant install it. To make it a little harder I'd like a crappy (and probably old) application that doesnt give a usefull error message.

Anyone have suggestions?

-Erik

 

[minendo]

AIM

 

[r6ashih]

doesnt matter what program you choose. Windows will notify that you dont have the rights to install programs

 

[Rapidskies]

Originally posted by: r6ashih
doesnt matter what program you choose. Windows will notify that you dont have the rights to install programs

Dang failed your own test.

 

[Phoenix86]

Have him install a local printer, the options is greyed out, so you can't. Ask why.

 

[spyordie007]

Originally posted by: r6ashih
doesnt matter what program you choose. Windows will notify that you dont have the rights to install programs

I was thinking something that doesnt make use of the windows installer service so this wont be the case.

 

[Phoenix86]

Originally posted by: r6ashih
doesnt matter what program you choose. Windows will notify that you dont have the rights to install programs

Nope, there are some programs that will install w/o admin access. As long as you don't write to certian registry keys and other things require admin access. Also if the installer doesn't check (by design, see spyware).

 

[djheater]

I hate being put on the spot like that. I'd be super nervous and frustrated, if my interviewer had a "tech olympics" for me to compete in. Especially if it was unannounced. It's really no measure of whether they'd be a useful employee, just whether they know that particular subject.

 

[spyordie007]

I can understand that some people are nervous when faced with this type of thing and wouldnt hold that against them. And by no means are we trying to setup a "tech olympics"; however we need to know that that they are able to troubleshoot problems and it's a little hard to tell that by reading their resume...

Also this is the 2nd round of the interview.

 

[Phoenix86]

Originally posted by: djheater
I hate being put on the spot like that. I'd be super nervous and frustrated, if my interviewer had a "tech olympics" for me to compete in. Especially if it was unannounced. It's really no measure of whether they'd be a useful employee, just whether they know that particular subject.

The object isn't always to see if they know the answer, but to see how they react when they don't. Hell, no one know everything about windows, not even one version. So expecting a tech to know every aspect is crazy. Knowing what to do when you *don't* know the answer is way more important than knowing the answer.

 

[spyordie007]

yup exactly; I'm much more concerned with how they go about looking for the cause of the problem than whether or not they are actually able to fix it.

 

[amcdonald]

Originally posted by: Phoenix86

Originally posted by: djheater
I hate being put on the spot like that. I'd be super nervous and frustrated, if my interviewer had a "tech olympics" for me to compete in. Especially if it was unannounced. It's really no measure of whether they'd be a useful employee, just whether they know that particular subject.

The object isn't always to see if they know the answer, but to see how they react when they don't. Hell, no one know everything about windows, not even one version. So expecting a tech to know every aspect is crazy. Knowing what to do when you *don't* know the answer is way more important than knowing the answer.

I agree. Seeing how someone troubleshoots a problem is extremely important, considering that is what tech support people DO.

 

[Kadarin]

Originally posted by: amcdonald

Originally posted by: Phoenix86

Originally posted by: djheater
I hate being put on the spot like that. I'd be super nervous and frustrated, if my interviewer had a "tech olympics" for me to compete in. Especially if it was unannounced. It's really no measure of whether they'd be a useful employee, just whether they know that particular subject.

The object isn't always to see if they know the answer, but to see how they react when they don't. Hell, no one know everything about windows, not even one version. So expecting a tech to know every aspect is crazy. Knowing what to do when you *don't* know the answer is way more important than knowing the answer.

I agree. Seeing how someone troubleshoots a problem is extremely important, considering that is what tech support people DO.

It's also interesting and useful to understand how people react when they're faced with situations that cause frustration.

 

[amcdonald]

Originally posted by: Astaroth33

Originally posted by: amcdonald

Originally posted by: Phoenix86

Originally posted by: djheater
I hate being put on the spot like that. I'd be super nervous and frustrated, if my interviewer had a "tech olympics" for me to compete in. Especially if it was unannounced. It's really no measure of whether they'd be a useful employee, just whether they know that particular subject.

The object isn't always to see if they know the answer, but to see how they react when they don't. Hell, no one know everything about windows, not even one version. So expecting a tech to know every aspect is crazy. Knowing what to do when you *don't* know the answer is way more important than knowing the answer.

I agree. Seeing how someone troubleshoots a problem is extremely important, considering that is what tech support people DO.

It's also interesting and useful to understand how people react when they're faced with situations that cause frustration.

In that case, have their car towed while they are having the interview

 

[Kadarin]

Originally posted by: amcdonald

Originally posted by: Astaroth33

Originally posted by: amcdonald

Originally posted by: Phoenix86

Originally posted by: djheater
I hate being put on the spot like that. I'd be super nervous and frustrated, if my interviewer had a "tech olympics" for me to compete in. Especially if it was unannounced. It's really no measure of whether they'd be a useful employee, just whether they know that particular subject.

The object isn't always to see if they know the answer, but to see how they react when they don't. Hell, no one know everything about windows, not even one version. So expecting a tech to know every aspect is crazy. Knowing what to do when you *don't* know the answer is way more important than knowing the answer.

I agree. Seeing how someone troubleshoots a problem is extremely important, considering that is what tech support people DO.

It's also interesting and useful to understand how people react when they're faced with situations that cause frustration.

In that case, have their car towed while they are having the interview

:beer:

 

[spyordie007]

I found an application on my own, some old POS USB scanner we have. Gives a great error message too

Install Error

 

[tikwanleap]

Originally posted by: spyordie007
I found an application on my own, some old POS USB scanner we have. Gives a great error message too

Install Error

Bwahahaha. That's hilarious.

 

[TitanDiddly]

Windows

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: Phoenix86
Have him install a local printer, the options is greyed out, so you can't. Ask why.

good idea.

Another thing is to install an application which requires admin access to install, but ALSO requires you to set permissions in the registry for it to work correctly with non-admin accounts. Emphasize the importance of testing programs FROM THE USER ACCOUNT after installing them. Then again, you might not want to drive your potential employees crazy.

That USB thing looks good

 

[Phoenix86]

Originally posted by: jagec

Originally posted by: Phoenix86
Have him install a local printer, the options is greyed out, so you can't. Ask why.

good idea.

Another thing is to install an application which requires admin access to install, but ALSO requires you to set permissions in the registry for it to work correctly with non-admin accounts. Emphasize the importance of testing programs FROM THE USER ACCOUNT after installing them. Then again, you might not want to drive your potential employees crazy.

That USB thing looks good

I can understand and excuse third party vendors, a little for errors like that, but the windows/printer example is rediculous. I can't believe it doesn't say somewhere why it's greyed out. :roll:

In that case, have their car towed while they are having the interview

Ouch man... ouch... But, :beer:

 

[Zee]

Windows 98 and a usb modem

 

[Homerboy]

hahah
Ill wait to see your interviewees post in the "Techsupport" section of AT

 

[ucdnam]

Palm Desktop will not sync with a palm pilot without admin privilages.

I've been through several interviews, on both ends, and they typically don't ask for a show of what you can do, but will ask you to troubleshoot the problem and you have to respond with a lot of what-if's and so on.

Questions like, why you want to use a print server over connecting to a printer directly via TCP/IP. Ask them if they know Active Directory, how to change drive mappings, etc.

Another popular question I'd get is.. if you arrived to work in the morning and found 3 trouble tickets/phone messages. One from the director with "computer not working", one from the admin. assistant who cannot print, and one from the computer lab where a certain program is not working. How would you work out the situation?

You want to have a candidate who knows the basics and you can always train on the job

 

[SuperFreaky]

I'll have to remember to bring my Magic Boot Disk to my next interview...

"Questions like, why you want to use a print server over connecting to a printer directly via TCP/IP"

Why is that?

 

[ucdnam]

Several reasons to use a print server.
1. keeps settings based on user, so you can control who can print to it, using which settings and who can delete jobs, moderate print jobs, etc.
2. If you had to change the printer's IP one day, for any reason, the change would take on the print server and you would not have to run to everyone's desktop to change it. Assume a finance division had a HP Laserjet 9000 and everyone printed to it.
3. It's easier to tell them to add a new printer if it's attached to a print server, rather than by IP. By IP, most users are lost and would not be able to add a new printer, while through the print server, you could tell them to add the printer by going to printer, choosing add new printer, selecting network, and finding the printer based on a name.