Re: Users
"Walter" <nospam@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:e$w8ZF3RIHA.2376@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>
> "Hank Arnold (MVP)" <rasilon@aol.com> wrote in message
> news:eocJd1yRIHA.1208@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>> Walter wrote:
>>> I have Vista Home Premium 64 bit.
>>>
>>> I had the computer built by a local shop and they installed the OS. I
>>> am the User named Walter and also the Adminstrator. Should I set things
>>> so that I log in as a Standard User instead of as an Adminstrator? Is
>>> it worth the effort?
>>>
>>>
>>
>> Best practice says you should run as a user. I'd create another account
>> and assign it to the Users group. You need to have at least 1
>> administrator account.
>>
>> --
>>
>> Regards,
>> Hank Arnold
>> Microsoft MVP
>> Windows Server - Directory Services
>
> Okay, if I start logging in as a standard User than I will move all my
> data files from the current Admin account to the new User account.
>
> also, I can't imagine a situation on my home computer where I wouldn't
> want to have all apps available to every user. So that means I should
> always be in the Admin account when I install apps, right? If I am in a
> user account when I install an app will it install for all users?
>
> I have not yet turned off UAC, like I hear most people eventually do.
> Will switching to this strategy of running as a standard user but
> installing apps as an Admin allow me to turn of UAC without losing the
> advantages that UAC provides. (not sure what that actually is.)
You can still install apps from a standard user account, you'll be prompted
by UAC for the admin password.
Unless the program installer itself offers to limit use to one user, all
users will always be able to run just about any program installed, with the
exception of programs that require admin privileges. When you attempt to
open a program that needs admin rights you'll again be prompted for the
admin password to allow it to run.
Turning off UAC is not recommended. This actually defeats much of the
security in Vista. Also, you will have to be logged on to your admin
account to install anything with UAC turned off, since the standard users
will not get a prompt for the admin password, only a message stating that
you have to be an admin to install the program.
UAC can seem very annoying when you're first installing all of your software
on a new machine, but UAC hardly ever pops up, even for a standard user,
once all your applications are installed and you've set up the computer to
your liking.
It's ironic to me that Unix, Linux and Mac users have lived with prompts to
elevate user privileges to "root" every time they need to make a system
change, or install software, with nary a complaint about it, but especially
Linux users (and Apple themselves) make fun of UAC in Vista . . . even
thought it's the same basic thing. Sure, on Linux once you've elevated you
don't see the prompt again for whatever the timeout is set for (thus giving
EVERYTHING that runs during that time full access to the system) and with
UAC even if it's 2 seconds after elevating one program you run another that
needs admin rights, you get another prompt, it's still the same basic thing.
Mic
