Scanning across user profiles in XP

mitch · February 05, 2006, 03:53:11 AM

ok some black art and magic juju beads in action ;-)

say i want to install adaware ok?
and i want it on all users

i would be in admin and go to control panel and allow all users admin rights ( don't panic just hang on)

then i would install adaware and say yep to a shortcut !

now it is installed right?

ok
now i would log off and go to a limited user account ( that now has god like powers)

and i would see a shortcut for aaw .......
but if not i would not be upset as it should be listed in start/all programs
and there i would make a shorcut

now i would go back to admin and cripple the powers of the user !

now if i was a user with limited powers aaw might not let me update or something i would right click the shortcut and "run as" and select a admin and password and poof that program will allow it !

(NOTE THIS WILL NOT WORK WITH MS anti-spyware ;-( but i can run and update it in limited account so no worry)

now things i have found
spybot requires admin to update, same with spywareblaster

i can run my FTP program, but it won't let me download and gives errors ( so i admin it in user)

so i only have admin and user on this box ( ghost doesn't count as i never use it)

i do all my work online without too much trouble except for updating some of the av stuff as user !
and do 99.99 % of my offline stuff as user

when it is time for "update tuesday" from micro$oft i must be a admin to download and install!!

it just takes a bit to figure out how to do it, but you don't run spybot s and d every time you are on the computer ;-), nor aaw !

lately i have been playing with a cheap linux box and about the only time i am on XP is about once a week to update all my anti-crapware !! ( and if i need to scan something ( no linux drivers for my cheap scanner) but i can ftp/e-mail/cd to my linux if needed ;-)

i am not a computer wizzard just a mortal !!!! but found out by bashing around without much trouble all is going well on admin/user for me !

just play with user for a while !!!!!if you don't like it and it is causes excessive hair loss , just delet it !

things i have learned over the years on computers!!
1. never buy a OEM computer/ make one or go to a local computer store.. oem uses cost cutting tricks ( itty bitty power supplies, non standard parts, one of a kind motherboards
2. software makers write programs for "common computers" so i usually make one with
soundblaster
nvidea
a motherboard company i have heard of ( asus and such)

and i have not had one problem with software drivers acting up or strange things happening in sood solid software !!!

i learned the lesson after a compaq and a cheap computer
well back to hair pulling on linux

Ripley · February 05, 2006, 07:09:29 PM

mitch :)

Thanks for the play by play.

Wish I would have known this 2 months ago when I purchased an OEM computer (w/o a floppy drive as well)

Quotenever buy a OEM computer/ make one or go to a local computer store.. oem uses cost cutting tricks ( itty bitty power supplies, non standard parts, one of a kind motherboards.

I can always add a floppy then I'd have the option of creating the XP Recovery disc someday, but alittle harder to switch out those other items.

Oh well, live and learn here at Landzdown. There will be other computers in the future and I'll remember that.

mitch · February 05, 2006, 07:32:49 PM

ripley

if not qualified, have a friend open up your box !!
a lot of the motherboards still have the connector for a floppy!!!!
and some of the new boxes still have a pop out for the 3 1/2 i floppy !

always best to have it on the IDE and not usb ( and a heck of a lot cheaper !) floppy-$10, floppy USB $40
it will be a ribbon connector close to the ide primary and secondary and about 2/3 rds the amount of pins ;-) two rows of pins
(just follow your hard drive ribbon cable to the motherboard and look ;-D

if you find something close...;do you have a camera? or if confused i could take a pic of my box without any clothes on ;-D

Ripley · February 05, 2006, 09:08:02 PM

Quote from: mitch on February 05, 2006, 07:32:49 PM
or if confused i could take a pic of my box without any clothes on ;-D

Had to re-read this one! :shock: Was any easy choice for me. Take a picture of my computer OR act confused and ask for a picture of mitch taking a picture without any clothes on! :moreevil:

Actually, had to go take some smart pills and find out what an IDE was. "An IDE interface is a standard way for a storage device to connect to a computer. Devices connect to the computer through an Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE) interface." And they even had pictures at howstuffworks.com and Webopedia. So I could see the primary/secondary rows & the shorter floppy one.

I do have a punch out on this box.

In terms of being qualified, I've never opened a box before, but it doesn't look difficult. Does qualified mean that I void a warranty if I do it? Was thinking I'd just march it down to the local puter store and have them put it in.

mitch · February 05, 2006, 09:44:21 PM

looking around the web i found this

http://www.waterwheel.com/images/r0300019.jpg

he has the floppy drive cable in his hand ( note the two IDE connectors real close to it !

that is what you are looking for..the ide connector on the motherboard ( two rows of pins) think about 20 pins per row or close to it ;-D

you can remove the side pannel ( unplug power first) and not void any warranty ( how could you add memory or any pci cards if you didn't remove the side ;-D

if in doubt, just take a pic !

D

mitch · February 05, 2006, 10:02:33 PM

the side pannel to remove is usually the one on the left side ( looking from the front)

and usually 3 screws ( or thumbscrews) hold it in place on the back side

so you take the screws out, then slide the pannel towards the back about 3/4 inch and then you can remove ( it sits in a track (kinda)

now if you have a computer person they could check, maybe install it ?
my usual rate is 6 pack of pepsi per hour and about 1 hr to do it. so you can see it is not that tough to do ;-D

Ripley · February 05, 2006, 10:09:10 PM

mitch :)

Just examined my box to see how the side panel is removed. One side is bolted, so that's how I know which panel. But does it just pop off?
And then how do you get that "punch out" out?
I need to see my own box "without any clothes" on to get a grip on this. But the pix give me an idea of what I'm looking for.

Actually I've never seen the inside, or done any add-ons that required me to in there.

Looks do-able to me.

GR@PH;<'S · February 05, 2006, 10:12:28 PM

ripley,
Not to put you off doing as mitch has said but you could always buy a 1.44MB External USB Floppy Drive they start from around $24.00 (usd) / £13.61 (GBP)

GR@PH;<'S :breakkie:

Ripley · February 05, 2006, 10:12:46 PM

Sorry for the reduntant question on the panel.
In the middle of my posting, I was logged out and had to log back in...and didn't notice your new reply. :lol:

mitch · February 05, 2006, 10:21:49 PM

the one big + of a ide floppy
it is can be used to boot from, the usb can be a problem for booting

( GHOST uses a floppy for ememgency operations)

i tried it with a USB floppy and after about 3 hours i kinda had it working for a boot

it will do you good to see the business end of the computer, and note the processor with a fan on top ;-)

that way when you do a "spring cleaning" you won't have to learn all from scratch ;-D

and the popout was it the small one or the big one the size of a CD player?

Ripley · February 05, 2006, 10:37:50 PM

Looked more closely at those screws holding the left panel (of course, I thought the panel w/o the screws should come off...)
OK, these screws are small round ones w/ any itty, bitty round hole in the middle. A special tool is necessary for removing those?

I just checked your profile and since I am not real close to the 3rd planet from the sun, that 6 pack of pepsi sitting in my frig won't help.

But this looks do-able.

And GR@PH;<'S, checked out that USB floppy link. Not that it's the only reason to get a IDE floppy (if that's what you call it) but mitch had mentioned this in terms of creating an XP Recovery disc.

Quotenow you MIGHT be able to use a usb floppy but i am not sure if the usb drivers are loaded yet at that part of the boot?

The popout is CD size...the size of my old 3 1/2 inch floppy.

"spring cleaning" :uhm:

GR@PH;<'S · February 05, 2006, 10:53:36 PM

ripley,
No problem I just thought I would let you know that they are out there

GR@PH;<'S :breakkie:

Ripley · February 05, 2006, 10:56:40 PM

Quote from: GR@PH;<'S on February 05, 2006, 10:53:36 PM
I just thought I would let you know that they are out there
GR@PH;<'S :breakkie:

I like it when you do that! :flowers:

ripley

mitch · February 05, 2006, 11:37:40 PM

well it sounds like it could be done on the box!

a repair shop would be able to let you know within 10 sec of taking the side off !
and should be a quick easy install for them !

and i figure if i just spent about 2 hours figuring how to format a floppy on linux , everyone should still have a floppy !!!

who knew you have to unmount a floppy to format it??? strange
D

Brynn · February 07, 2006, 04:32:08 PM

OOoookay!

Quote"And then you read some threads in these forums...and you are reminded all that you don't know!"

LOL!
Geez! Most of you guys type faster than I can even think :tease:

Yeah, I won't be opening my "box" unless/until I have to -- little bit afraid of this :tech: happening! :mrgreen:

One useful thing I have observed about my own learning process, is not to spend a lot of time on problems that haven't happened yet. Maybe in my younger days, I could have stopped what I was doing, to follow along with ripley and mitch, and learn how to open my "box" for spring cleaning, or whatever. And then I would go back to what I was working on before. For probably several reasons, I just can't find the brain power to do that now. Ah well, grieve the loss, boo-hoo, and move on...life's too short, it really is :breakkie: (and there's not near enough coffee, I might add :breakkie: )

Anyway, sorry to be rambling a bit.
Thanks, mitch, for spelling out those details. Have you ever thought of writing up a webpage or an article, on this subject? I know I've learned SO much from your current webpages, and this topic would certainly compliment them ;)

So, if I had installed programs only to my admin account (before I added the limited user, before I really understood the option), should I uninstall, and reinstall to both, or all accounts? Windows Explorer shows all my security programs under All Users, and none in the admin and limited user....which I really don't understand. Does that mean they actually are installed in both accounts??? :? :?

Also, I was looking closely at Ad-Aware, to try and understand this issue better, and it looks to me like both admin and limited user can be scanned from the admin acct....as well as "All Users," "Default User," and a couple other strange things.
[Settings > Scan Settings > Choose which drives and folders to scan]
There's also a setting under [Settings > Tweak Settings > Scan registry for all users] which ripley mentioned in the opening message of this thread.

Well, I guess we've just about beat this thread to death by now, but I just want to be sure I understand. Thanks again for your patience with me.