Games and restricted user accounts

I know this question will result in a Homer Simpson loke "D'oh!" when I get
the answer, but I have to ask anyway.

I have four user accounts set up on my Win XP PC - two administrator level
accounts and two restricted user accounts for my two kids. The problem is
that their games - especially Age of Empires - will only work in the
administrator level accounts.

I know there is a way to let them run AOE on the restricted accounts, but
have not got the slightest idea on how to do it. Any ideas folks? I'd trust
Lisa with an admin level account, but Bart.... they have not made enough Duff
beer to make me let him have one.

Hi HagarTheHorrible,

Here's a utility to allow Administrators to permit users to run games:
Please visit: http://www.palmersoft.co.uk/main.asp?content=runasuser

If you prefer, here's the workaround, I suggested before the utility existed:
Some games will work with limited accounts after they have been installed and
run once either using an administrator account, or by temporarily changing the
limited user account(s) to an admin account in Control Panel / User Accounts,
just for the purpose of running the game the first time in order to be able to
install the necessary files and create the keys in the registry that it needs to
function, but may not be able to due to the restrictive nature of limited accounts.

If that mouthful doesn't resolve the issue, use the "Run As.." command instead:

1. Click Start / Control Panel / User Accounts / Create a New Account /
Name the Account: "able2play" (without quotes) / Next Pick: "Computer-
Administrator" & Click "Create Account";

2. Click on your new able2play account and Create a Password for it;

3. When your limited user wants to play a game that requires Administrator
privileges they can Right-Click the shortcut to that game / Click Run As... /
"The Following User": able2play and enter the password. Simple as that!

I know what you're thinking: That defeats the purpose of the limited user account.
To secure the "able2play" account so that it can't be used to logon to the computer:

First you can hide the account so that it won't show up on the Welcome Screen:
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/scripts_desc/xp_hide_users.htm (thanks Doug!)

Next add a shortcut to the windows logoff routine into the RUN key of the
able2play registry. I made a reg patch to simplify this process if you wish to use it:

4. Logon to the "able2play" account,

5. <ONLY RUN THIS PATCH USING THE "ABLE2PLAY" ACCOUNT>
Save this patch to your drive and then doubleclick it to install it to your registry.
http://www3.sympatico.ca/nibblesnbits/OnlyRunUsingAble2PlayAccount.reg

or

*Instead of using the reg patch, click Start / Run / regedt32 / browse to:
[HKCU\SOFTWARE\ Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run] and
Click Edit / New / String value / ValueName: logoff / Value data: logoff

From now on, if anyone logs on with the "able2play" account, the computer will log
them off immediately. They will not gain access to an administrators desktop!


--
Cheers, *Windows_XP_MVP_Shell/User*
Jimmy S. http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

Visit my MSN Games and Windows Gaming Help Site: www.msce.mvps.org
MS Games Help and Support Center: http://support.microsoft.com/?pr=gms
My advice is donated "AS IS" without warranty; nor do I confer any rights.
_________________________________________________________


HagarTheHorrible Wrote:
=================
| I know this question will result in a Homer Simpson loke "D'oh!" when I get
| the answer, but I have to ask anyway.
|
| I have four user accounts set up on my Win XP PC - two administrator level
| accounts and two restricted user accounts for my two kids. The problem is
| that their games - especially Age of Empires - will only work in the
| administrator level accounts.
|
| I know there is a way to let them run AOE on the restricted accounts, but
| have not got the slightest idea on how to do it. Any ideas folks? I'd trust
| Lisa with an admin level account, but Bart.... they have not made enough Duff
| beer to make me let him have one.