user account not limited enough

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I have XPSP2 and have reinstalled my pc before setting up 5 user accounts,
one with with administrator rights and the other four being limited user
accounts (one for my everyday use plus the three others). Although limited in
some ways, the limited user can still access the control panel and make
changes there plus access internet options through IE. Also 'Run' is
available if the limited user wants to change the registry etc. I tried
Windows 'SteadyState' but it only added to the concerns about access to the
system through these accounts; in any case, it did not seem to be suitable
and I uninstalled it.
....
Is it normal for limited users to have this kind of access or does it sound
as if there is something adrift in my pc even though it was a complete
reinstall? (the pc otherwise seems good). If it is normal, is it possible to
change the user profiles with at least a few more restrictions?
....
(Two of the user accounts are for my young grandsons; all they want to do at
this time is play games on the pc and there will be a fair amount of
supervision anyway. After falling into dissaray over the misadventure with
SteadyState, I regrouped, system restored and opened new accounts which are
working fine, but I'm still no further forward with sorting out this worry
about access).
Much appreciate any advice on this,
thanks,
John
 
The limited user(s) may get access to those areas but would not be able
to make any changes..
 
In
JohnC said:
I have XPSP2 and have reinstalled my pc before setting up 5
user accounts,
one with with administrator rights and the other four being
limited user
accounts (one for my everyday use plus the three others).
Although limited in
some ways, the limited user can still access the control
panel and make
changes there plus access internet options through IE. Also
'Run' is
available if the limited user wants to change the registry
etc. I tried
Windows 'SteadyState' but it only added to the concerns about
access to the
system through these accounts; in any case, it did not seem
to be suitable
and I uninstalled it.
...
Is it normal for limited users to have this kind of access or
does it sound
as if there is something adrift in my pc even though it was a
complete
reinstall? (the pc otherwise seems good). If it is normal, is
it possible to
change the user profiles with at least a few more
restrictions?
...
(Two of the user accounts are for my young grandsons; all
they want to do at
this time is play games on the pc and there will be a fair
amount of
supervision anyway. After falling into dissaray over the
misadventure with
SteadyState, I regrouped, system restored and opened new
accounts which are
working fine, but I'm still no further forward with sorting
out this worry
about access).
Much appreciate any advice on this,
thanks,
John
Click to expand...

You might want to try this program.

Courtesy of Doug Knox, MS-MVP
Windows XP Security Console
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_seccons_scrn.htm

Good luck

Nepatsfan
 
To. Andrew E.
sorry for the delay in replying. Yes, I tried to make changes to settings in
my Limited User account and agree with you that a Limited User can get so far
into system changes and then gets the message that only an Administrator can
take it any further. On the other hand, on my pc at least, as Limited User I
can for example change settings in Internet options (i.e. and 'apply' and
'ok' the changes) and get into Regedt32 via 'Run' (although I did not try any
actual changes in the Registry).

Also, I imagined that changes I made in my Administrator account to Internet
Options settings would change settings for all users, i.e. as Administrator I
would have complete control over the settings of my pc right across the
board, but this is not the case.

To be fair to Microsoft, it does say in the Topic about User accounts that
the Limited User is prohibited from changing 'most' computer settings. Added
to this, no doubt there are many other ways (clicking on internet pop ups,
spam email links or whatever) that a Limited User can compromise my pc
(without even intending to) and I’m sure that my expectations have been a
bit unrealistic in the real world of pc’s.

As I indicated, ‘Steady State’ was not the answer for me; I’ve seriously
considered just putting all the time and effort down to experience and
abandon the whole User account idea. After all, I’ve been happy to trust my
other family members with my pc for the last year or so since I first started
thinking about it!

On the other hand, please see my reply to the post from Nepatsfan.

Thanks and regards,
John
 
Thank you, Nepatsfan. Yes, I do want to try the program! It looks like the
practical solution I need. Have only downloaded it so far and will follow up
later

thanks again and regards,
John
 
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