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[dedidio]

Hi,

I've recently invested in a HTPC which runs XP, I have created a few users for various access rights to my server.  This was all running fine until I made the final step of setting up the users of changing all but one from being an admin account to a normal (limited) user.

Now when one of the normal accounts tries to run Media Center I get an error saying that the user needs to be at least a power user.

I realise I am going a bit OT here, but can anyone tell me (or provide me with a link to a tutorial) how I can add Media Center to a list of approved programs for normal users (I have to presume such a feature exists).

P.S.  I don't really want to increase the users access rights as I wish to leave the machine unattended and free for use by people who have a tendancy to break things!

[Dan Da Man]

I second the motion.

Although I don't use them too heavily now, I'm sure that in the future (aka once I have a family) it will be nice to have multiple users on a home machine.

It would be cool if you adhered to the User profiles and settings of Windows XP/2000.

Why not make it so that a power user/admin can change the database and rip files while the lower users can just play music and play their own playlists?  Or something like that.

AOL IM uses the User Profiles in WinXP, so if they can, you can to.

Thanks!

Dan "da Man"

[Charlemagne 8]

Yep. Me too. I had to give whoever wanted to use MC "Admin" status before they could run it.

[JorgeGVB]

I agree with this issue too.  My sons have use Media Player instead of MC since they have limited rights.  

[derry]

Hummmmmm...

Not sure this will work for everyone.  If you go to explorer, then "tools", then "folder options", then "view" and now scroll to the bottem and Uncheck the "use simple file sharing recomended"

This should now allow you to right click on files and folders and assign new permissions and user rights.

After doing this try and right click on the "J River" folder in Program files and select the properties then the Security tab.  Then move down to the "Users" permission and tick off modify and write (so that it is the same as power user).  Try that, if it works, you can go back to the view setting and re-tick the "use simple file permissions" that you unticked earlier... if you like.

I hope this works, I don't have other user set up to try on, but it should work (in therory).

Good luck  

[dedidio]

I tried this before starting the thread derry and it didn't work.

However since starting the thread I've spoke to my brother and he recommends doing both what you have said and the same thing again for the programs keys in HKLM in regedit ((ie make the permissions for user the same as power user)).  I haven't had a chance to try this yet, but will do after work.

[Marko]

couple of posts that may or may not be of help here....

http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?board=3;action=display;threadid=10844

http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?board=3;action=display;threadid=17445

[dedidio]

Just a note to confirm that setting the permissions for users to be the same as power users in both the install directory and the related keys in HKLM allows a normal user to run MC.

[Baddog43]

I tried your suggestions (set users rights to power level settings for the HKLM/Software/JRiver and also for the install dirtectory) and it does allow a user to start MC but after a minute or so it crashes and has a statement about "critical error #21 corrupt file need to uninstall and reinstall". MC works for the administrative user so it seems it has to be a problem still with the permissions. Any more help?

[BullishDad]

I agree with this issue too.  My sons have use Media Player instead of MC since they have limited rights.  

Same for me.  My daughter has limited rights so she can't use MC.  I know this feature has been requested before, but I figure it can't hurt to cast my vote for it here.

Shouldn't we be able to raise our kids using the best available software?

[charlespaul21]

Right click on MC's icon you use to launch the app and select "Run As" and then authenticate as some who is an admin.  This should allow the appropriate permissions for MC to run properly.

-C

[charlespaul21]

You can even create an admin user just for the purpose of running MC, so you dont have to give your kids your password.  Then you can hide that user on the welcome screen in XP by going here in the registry:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\
SpecialAccounts\UserList]

For each user you want to hide create a new DWORD value named after the username and set the value to "0".

 

[Baddog43]

These aren't really solutions just work arounds that aren't even convenient.  A user would have to log off their identity to play a media file with MC and log onto another user profile with increased user rights then log back into their user profile when done.  That doesn't make any sense, they may as well be power users at the start. Of course that defeats the security of not having them mess up XP (if it isn't already bad enough). Giving them the correct rights to use MC would be the simpler solution if MC has too require those additional rights to be used or change MC so it doesn't require those rights.

[LonWar]

v11 Doesn't need power user...


8. NEW: Media Center runs without power user / administrative priveleges

[Omni]

These aren't really solutions just work arounds that aren't even convenient.  A user would have to log off their identity to play a media file with MC and log onto another user profile with increased user rights then log back into their user profile when done.  That doesn't make any sense, they may as well be power users at the start. Of course that defeats the security of not having them mess up XP (if it isn't already bad enough). Giving them the correct rights to use MC would be the simpler solution if MC has too require those additional rights to be used or change MC so it doesn't require those rights.

I haven't read this entire thread, so this may or may not be relevant, but FYI, you wouldn't need to log off and then log in again.  Under XP, you would just right-click the icon and choose "Run as..."   XP will pop up a login dialog box where you enter the name/password.  That's all.


Again, though, this is not terribly convenient, and is probably still not a solution you could use.  (Like I said, I have not read the previous posts.)

[Baddog43]

"Run As" would mean that you would have to give the user the administrator or power user's password to use when they wanted to play media files. That again defeats the security and customization of using user profiles.

[kaiynne]

User switching under Xp is pretty badly implemented, if you have two or more users running concurrently you will experience major slowdown.

Why not just build them a cheap box and set it up using a kvm so they can share the same keyboard monitor and mouse as your pc.  That way they can have full user rights and if you just back up the os partition you can restore it using ghost or whatever if they mess it up.

I know this is involved but it applies to more than just MC, let your kids have free reign on 'their' pc and you will probably find they treat it pretty well.