Sharing programs between users

[Kyle]

I downloaded a program that all users on my pc should have access to. I have
copied a shortcut to the program into the "all users" programs folder, as
well as into each individuals programs folder. The program will still not
work for anyone but my user ID.
What am I doing wrong?

[Shenan Stanley]

Kyle wrote:
> I downloaded a program that all users on my pc should have access
> to. I have copied a shortcut to the program into the "all users"
> programs folder, as well as into each individuals programs folder.
> The program will still not work for anyone but my user ID.
> What am I doing wrong?

Not only must they have access to the icon that calls the program, but to
everything the program needs in order to be used.

Some programs (or at least their installers) were badly written and thus
they install much directly into the individual profile. Others still do not
set permissions on the files/folders/registry entries that would allow
anyone but the one that did the installation to run the application.

What application is it that you are concerning yourself with?

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

[Bruce Chambers]

Kyle wrote:
> I downloaded a program that all users on my pc should have access to. I have
> copied a shortcut to the program into the "all users" programs folder, as
> well as into each individuals programs folder. The program will still not
> work for anyone but my user ID.
> What am I doing wrong?


You may experience some problems if the software was designed for
Win9x/Me, or if it was purportedly intended for WinNT/2K/XP, but was
improperly designed. Quite simply, the application doesn't "know" how to
handle individual user profiles with differing security permissions
levels, or the application is designed to make to make changes to
"off-limits" sections of the Windows registry or protected Windows
system folders.

For example, saved data are often stored in a sub-folder under the
application's folder within C:\Program Files - a place where no
inexperienced or limited user should ever have write permissions.

It may even be that the software requires "write" access to parts
of the registry or protected systems folders/files that are not normally
accessible to regular users. (This *won't* occur if the application is
properly written.) If this does prove to be the case, however, you're
often left with three options: Either grant the necessary users
appropriate higher access privileges (either as Power Users or local
administrators), explicitly grant normal users elevated privileges to
the affected folders and/or part(s) or the registry, or replace the
application with one that was properly designed specifically for
WinNT/2K/XP.

Some Programs Do Not Work If You Log On from Limited Account
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q307091

Additionally, here are a couple of tips suggested, in a reply to a
different post, by MS-MVP Kent W. England:

"If your game or application works with admin accounts, but not with
limited accounts, you can fix it to allow limited users to access the
program files folder with "change" capability rather than "read" which
is the default.

C:\>cacls "Program Files\appfolder" /e /t /p users:c

where "appfolder" is the folder where the application is installed.

If you wish to undo these changes, then run

C:\>cacls "Program Files\appfolder" /e /t /p users:r

If you still have a problem with running the program or saving settings
on limited accounts, you may need to change permissions on the registry
keys. Run regedit.exe and go to HKLM\Software\vendor\app, where
"vendor\app" is the key that the software vendor used for your specific
program. Change the permissions on this key to allow Users full control."


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot

[Twayne[_2_]]

> I downloaded a program that all users on my pc
> should
> have access to. I have copied a shortcut to the
> program
> into the "all users" programs folder, as well as
> into
> each individuals programs folder. The program
> will still
> not work for anyone but my user ID.
> What am I doing wrong?

That happens, especially if the authors of the
software aren't up on using windows installers or
it's meant for an older version of windows.

Probably best to undeo what you've done and just
install it as each user. A little disk space
wasteful, but ... it'll work.

There ARE ways to get almost anything to install
to the All Users profile, but ... I don't know
what they are for a case like yours. Perhaps
someone will chime in with that info rather than
just a lot of peripheral facts as I've seen so
far.

HTH,

Twayne