Installing software for multi-user computer

[kanezfan]

This computer here at work is running Windows XP Home. There are 5 accounts on it, one admin, the rest are limited accounts. This computer is used by kids who want to play flash games and watch music videos on launch.yahoo.com, which uses Windows Media PLayer. If I go to Launch from the admin account, I can watch videos just fine, but the kids can't from their own accounts. They get a message that WMP 10 is not installed and to install it. When they go ahead and install it, it gets downloaded, and then they get an access denied message. They get the same types of messages with other software that is installed, like flash player, or games. What do I have to do to get software installed so that everyone can use it? Is this a limitation of XP Home, or does XP Pro have the same problem? Do I need to tick a checkbox somewhere in the registry?

Thanks.

[kanezfan]

bump, i can't believe no one has ever had to deal with this problem.

[chandom]

Give this a shot.

When you go to run the installer right-click and choose "Run as" and pick the bottom option and put in the info for the admin account.

This method should work on downloaded exe's

[kanezfan]

That works, but it's only that one time. It doesn't stay like that, you have to type it in every time you run the program. I don't want to give the kids the admin password, any other way?

[primesuspect]

You're running into the limits of "home" vs "corporate" use... You would need an active directory domain controller and XP Pro on the workstations, with domain logins, to set and enforce real network policies like that.

There's probably lots of ways to "fudge it" but I'm not aware of any.

[kanezfan]

You're running into the limits of "home" vs "corporate" use... You would need an active directory domain controller and XP Pro on the workstations, with domain logins, to set and enforce real network policies like that.

There's probably lots of ways to "fudge it" but I'm not aware of any.

Man that is such garbage on their part. What's the point of calling Home Edition more secure than past home MS OSes when you have to give everybody administrator access to run software? I mean the regular user accounts can't use CD burning software, they can't play games, they can't install software, that part is good though. This is the stupidest thing I've ever heard of.

[Shorty]

Right click on my computer -> manage -> Local Users and Groups -> Users

Right click the user you want to "upgrade a little" and select properties -> Member of

Add -> Advanced -> Find Now -> Select "Power Users" -> Ok -> Highlight "Users" -> Remove -> Ok -> Close.

This works under XP Pro and as far as I know, will work under XP Home too :)

[kanezfan]

Thank Shorty, will try this on Friday when I return to work :D

Will granting Power User to a account allow them to install apps? I'll tell you what, these kids can have a computer infected with trojans and spyware in a matter of minutes. They click on everything they see. I especially love it when I look through their history and see that they've been looking at porn. When I confront them with it, they get all hysterical and say "It wasn't me, it wasn't me!!!!!" I get all LMAO in my head, but I can't laugh in their face. Boys will be boys I guess.

[dazataz]

I too have a very frustrating problem with XP Home and can NOT get any user except an administrator to print to my Konica 1350W Printer. I've tried everything I can think of, called emachines and Konica, both to no avail.

I don't believe I can make change the permissions of a user to anything but Admin or Restricted in XP Home. It certainly sounds like the right thing, but I haven't been able to get it to work.

Any good ideas????

Thanks,
Daz


Right click on my computer -> manage -> Local Users and Groups -> Users

Right click the user you want to "upgrade a little" and select properties -> Member of

Add -> Advanced -> Find Now -> Select "Power Users" -> Ok -> Highlight "Users" -> Remove -> Ok -> Close.

This works under XP Pro and as far as I know, will work under XP Home too :)

[kanezfan]

Forgot about this thread. Shorty's suggestion didn't work, there's no "Local users and groups" to manage in XP Home. Limited piece of crap.

Then I found one suggestion that said to reboot in safe mode and XP Home's security tab becomes visible and usable. Lo and behold it does, and I was able to change a user's permissions to let him use whatever software I want. Did it work though? No. Now that I think about it, I should have tried Shorty's idea in safe mode. I'll give it a go on Friday again and post back to let you know if it works dazataz. Or you can try it before then and let me know.

[dazataz]

Kanezfan,
I been in Safe mode...the problem there is that hardware devices disappear due to the "safe" nature. I need to set permissions for a printer.
Now, one dude at work suggested installing the printer into a each and every users' own folders rather than the default location. makes sense and will try again tonight.
Will post back.
On a funny site...this CRAP XPHome is gonna get crappier...I heard from an IT guy that MS is developing a LITE version....go figure *#$!
Daz