Running Programs as a Limited User in Windows XP

Subscriber and regular correspondent Ivan Tadej wrote from Slovenija with some thoughts about last week's newsletter:

1. First in regards to "/*5. Give a Vista Look to Your Windows XP Computer*/" entry on the http://www.terryscomputertips.com/archives/news_20061203_3.php page. You see, it's that it is possible to otherwise run as an "admin" (i.e. to run in an "admin user" account), while launching certain programs (or types of programs, like for instance Internet-enabled ones etc.) as a "limited user". One such option is to launch programs with Mark Russinovich's Sysinternals "Process Explorer": http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/utilities/processexplorer.mspx and its "/Run as Limited User.../" menu-item (it's located under "File" menu-branch), and the other/second option which I in fact prefer over the first one is to use another program from Sysinternals called *Psexec*: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/utilities/psexec.mspx. And since Psexec.is a commandline application, I've already "converted" all my program-launching batch-files (which all mostly use the Windows in-built START command to start programs) to use the Psexec program instead.

regards, Ivan Tadej
http://www.tadej-ivan.be/

Thanks, Ivan. Your comments and tips are always welcome.

I've written before about Process Explorer, but only about using it to track what's running on your own computer. I think this would be a good tip for testing programs, but it would probably be a real pain for routine use.

I think I'll take a look at Psexec for better security control on batch programs.

You've found a neat use for the program, which normally is designed to execute programs on remote computers (computers other than your own). But, since the program allows you to run on the same machine and allows you to select the user you want, you can effectively control the "privileges" of the "user" running the program.

For Windows programs, Windows XP gives us a feature — well, a well-hidden feature — to give us better security control of regular Windows programs.

Related articles:

• Running Programs as a Different User in Windows XP

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