Restrict user privileges windows xp

The Run As command is available as a right-click option for executable files under Windows , XP and newer systems. To use it you would simply click the right mouse button on the setup or install file and left click on the "Run as" option. If "Run as" does not automatically appear as a right-click option, first hold the Shift key while you right click on the file. This will force the "Run as" command to appear.

When you click on the Run as option a small dialog box will appear asking you "Which user account do you wish to use to run this program? If you have another administrator level account it will also appear as a flyout option using the button on the right side of the input field.

After you choose which "administrator" account to use you must type the password for that account in the Password field. Please note that in XP Professional you cannot use the secondary logon service RunAs to start a program as a local user with a blank password.

I have published more details about how running with limited user privileges protects you against malware infections, in this blog entry. The Power Users group primarily provides backward compatibility for running non-certified applications. The default permissions that are allotted to this group allow this group's members to modify computerwide settings. If non-certified applications must be supported, then end users will need to be part of the Power Users group.

Members of the Power Users group have more permissions than members of the Users group and fewer than members of the Administrators group. Power Users can perform any operating system task except tasks reserved for the Administrators group. Any program that a user can run in Windows NT 4. Power Users do not have permission to add themselves to the Administrators group.

Power Users do not have access to the data of other users on an NTFS volume, unless those users grant them permission. Local Security Settings can be accessed by running - 'secpol. Did you set up you user accounts with the initial xp first boot configuration wizard? I am so used to programs and configuration tabs that have checkboxes and drop down menues and so forth, so this is like french to me. I suspected the "Administrative Tools" option had something to do with it and i have even clicked on the Group policies tab and I could make absolutely no sense of it.

Is there maybe a program or something that simplifies the whole task? To reach the appropriate group permissions panel in Windows XP, click Start , click Run , type gpedit.

At this panel, an administrator must specify the settings of two device options to provide the required group permissions:. For example, a call to SetSecurityInfo will grant permissions to user groups. Permission changes with this API are temporary and will not persist across a reboot. However, calling SetupDiSetDeviceRegistryProperty will implement the permission changes in the registry, which will persist across a reboot.