User1 Starts Program, But It Starts for User2

[Farley Arno]

All,

I have a perplexing problem. I have Windows WP Pro with two defined users.
Let's call them Jim and Anne. Once day, while logged on as User = Anne, I
installed some new software. It worked fine. Some time later I realized
that I wanted to run it for User = Jim as well (I'm Jim). So I switched
users, logged in to User = Jim, then manually put a shortcut icon on my
Desktop.

Problem: when I double-click the shortcut icon when I'm logged on as User =
Jim, nothing appears. If I double-click a second time, I get the message
"An instance of the service is already running." If I log off Jim, switch
users, and log on to User = Anne, then sure enough, the start window for the
application is there.

I'm sure that a few times I've been able to start the software correctly
under User = Jim, but mostly what I described above is what happens. How to
I get the software to start under the current user?

Thanks in advance for any help.

Jim

[Torgeir Bakken (MVP)]

Farley Arno wrote:

> I have a perplexing problem. I have Windows WP Pro with two defined users.
> Let's call them Jim and Anne. Once day, while logged on as User = Anne, I
> installed some new software. It worked fine. Some time later I realized
> that I wanted to run it for User = Jim as well (I'm Jim). So I switched
> users, logged in to User = Jim, then manually put a shortcut icon on my
> Desktop.
>
> Problem: when I double-click the shortcut icon when I'm logged on as User =
> Jim, nothing appears. If I double-click a second time, I get the message
> "An instance of the service is already running." If I log off Jim, switch
> users, and log on to User = Anne, then sure enough, the start window for the
> application is there.

Hi

Install the software logged in as user Jim as well and see if that helps...



--
torgeir
Microsoft MVP Scripting and WMI, Porsgrunn Norway
Administration scripting examples and an ONLINE version of the 1328 page
Scripting Guide: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter

[JDalin]

Yes, it occurred to me that I could uninstall and reinstall it, this time as
Jim, but I'm also trying to figure why it only wants to start for Anne. Is
there something in the registry that specifies who "owns" the software and
where to start it?

Thanks.

Jim

[Bruiser]

JDalin wrote:
>> Yes, it occurred to me that I could uninstall and reinstall it, this
>> time as Jim, but I'm also trying to figure why it only wants to
>> start for Anne. Is there something in the registry that specifies
>> who "owns" the software and where to start it?
>>
>> Thanks.
>>
>> Jim

I don't have multiple accounts on my system so I can't test this, but start
here and see if this offers a clue:

Navigate to the HKCU\Software\<software in question> key, right click and
select Permissions. Are both Jim and Anne allowed full control of the
program? If not, that may be the problem. (You can also hit the Advanced
tab, and see who actually owns that key.)

(As always, know what you're doing and backup before editing the Registry,
yada, yada..)

Bruce

[Torgeir Bakken (MVP)]

JDalin wrote:

> Yes, it occurred to me that I could uninstall and reinstall it, this time as
> Jim, but I'm also trying to figure why it only wants to start for Anne.

I didn't mention uninstall. Install it for each user (without any uninstall
between). It might be that it will be a "Repair" instead of a "Install" for the
second user depending on what type of install engine is used.


--
torgeir
Microsoft MVP Scripting and WMI, Porsgrunn Norway
Administration scripting examples and an ONLINE version of the 1328 page
Scripting Guide: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter

[Torgeir Bakken (MVP)]

Bruiser wrote:

> JDalin wrote:
> >> Yes, it occurred to me that I could uninstall and reinstall it, this
> >> time as Jim, but I'm also trying to figure why it only wants to
> >> start for Anne. Is there something in the registry that specifies
> >> who "owns" the software and where to start it?
>
> I don't have multiple accounts on my system so I can't test this, but start
> here and see if this offers a clue:
>
> Navigate to the HKCU\Software\<software in question> key, right click and
> select Permissions. Are both Jim and Anne allowed full control of the
> program? If not, that may be the problem.

Hi

Each user has it own registry hive for the HKCU part of registry (one users
HKCU is not available for another user), so I am afraid the advice above is not
relevant.



--
torgeir
Microsoft MVP Scripting and WMI, Porsgrunn Norway
Administration scripting examples and an ONLINE version of the 1328 page
Scripting Guide: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter

[Bruiser]

Torgeir Bakken (MVP) wrote:
>> Bruiser wrote:
>>
>>> JDalin wrote:
>>>>> Yes, it occurred to me that I could uninstall and reinstall it,
>>>>> this
>>>>> time as Jim, but I'm also trying to figure why it only wants to
>>>>> start for Anne. Is there something in the registry that specifies
>>>>> who "owns" the software and where to start it?
>>>
>>> I don't have multiple accounts on my system so I can't test this,
>>> but start here and see if this offers a clue:
>>>
>>> Navigate to the HKCU\Software\<software in question> key, right
>>> click and select Permissions. Are both Jim and Anne allowed full
>>> control of the program? If not, that may be the problem.
>>
>> Hi
>>
>> Each user has it own registry hive for the HKCU part of registry
>> (one users HKCU is not available for another user), so I am afraid
>> the advice above is not relevant.

That had occurred to me, but, then, how are these permissions used? On my
system, the users listed are Administrator and myself (plus the Restricted
and System). Is it just a reflection of who has Administrative privileges
and can therefore edit that particular key, or is it more than that?

[Torgeir Bakken (MVP)]

Bruiser wrote:

> Torgeir Bakken (MVP) wrote:
> >>
> >> Each user has it own registry hive for the HKCU part of registry
> >> (one users HKCU is not available for another user), so I am afraid
> >> the advice above is not relevant.
>
> That had occurred to me, but, then, how are these permissions used? On my
> system, the users listed are Administrator

I would think that is the group Administrators (and not the user
Administrator). That is what is listed for me at least.


> and myself (plus the Restricted
> and System). Is it just a reflection of who has Administrative privileges
> and can therefore edit that particular key, or is it more than that?

Yes, I would think that Administrators and System is granted full control to be
able to edit that hive. E.g. that edit can be done by a user that is member of
the Administrator group by loading another user's registry hive (ntuser.dat
under the user profile folder) in regedit.


--
torgeir
Microsoft MVP Scripting and WMI, Porsgrunn Norway
Administration scripting examples and an ONLINE version of the 1328 page
Scripting Guide: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter