Lil Wintip/OP

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This is a followup to a post made last week about the inadvisability of regularly running ANY computer in ANY OS with admins priviledges while connected to a network, especially the internet. Some users of WinXP Home edition have noted that they lose the abilility to even start or use some programs without admin priviledges. (Maybe that’s a good thing, maybe not. :-))

In XP Pro, it’s pretty easy to use the Security Console to set those kinds of priviledges granularly, but XP Home is kinda crippled that way. Here’s how to easily work around that while still maintaining a fairly secure environment. Me$$ySoft KB301634:

How to Use the RUN AS Command to Start a Program as an Administrator

As an administrator, you can use the run as command to start a program. To do so:

1.) Locate the program you want to start in Windows Explorer, the Microsoft Management Console (MMC), or Control Panel.
2.) Press and hold down the SHIFT key while you right-click the program icon, and then click Run as.
3.) Click Run the program as the following user, and then type the user name, password, and domain of the administrator account you want to use.

You may have to share your Program Files folder while in an admin session in order to see the program you want to run with admin priviledges. Oh, the lil workaround works when CLICK-ing on a shortcut to the program as well, so perhaps better would be to share/copy your C:\Documents and Settings\[Admin User Account]\Start Menu over to your non-admin account. That way, if some of those programs require admin priviledges to start/run, you can still use the tip above w/o having to hunt through Explorer panes.

It’s easy. It works. And it still keeps you from having to run your computer in an administrative-priviledged session. More secure.

If there are issues like that on the Mac side when running in a non-admin session, maybe someone could note in comments. Most current Linux distros will simply ask for an admin password if one needs admin priviledges while in a User session.