Posted on 01/06/2007 2:12:29 PM PST by Snoopers-868th
Once again I am forced to have my OS reloaded. I have an Administrator problem that I do not want to even address after literally 4 days on the phone with MS technical support's language barrier. My question is to all the FR tech folks who know XP-Pro, sharing and user rights.
My equipment: (Originally Dell 8200 w/pentium 4 1.8mhz) USB1.1 upgraded to High-Speed USB2 PCI Card (4 port) 80G hard drive (C) additional 80G internal drive petitioned (D & E). RAM: 1.25GB memory.
OS is Windows XP-Professional with SP2 XP Office Professional 2002
Question #1 Does it make sense to load my OS on the 80G hard drive by itself. Then load all programs on the D drive with all user data stored on the E drive?
The E drive can then be backed up to an external backup drive.
Computer Configuration: Because it would appear that I am continually doing something to mess up my Administrator account.
Question #2: Is it feasible to accomplish the following?
1)--Allow only the Administrator access to the OS files. 2)--Allow another user rights to Program Files (excluding OS files to maintain integrity). 3)--Allow common users the ability to have a profile of their own liking and to only use programs but store their individual data on the E drive.
Question #3: Do the actual file folders of common files like My Documents, My Pictures, My Albums, My Music still reside on the C drive with the OS as well as on the E drive because they are shared files?
Question #4 If I understand correctly, the "my" folders, specific to each user and created by the OS, can be shared and data stored on the E drive while blocking access to the C and D drives. Is that assumption correct? Are they shared via the Shared Folder on the C drive?
Question #5 If #4 is a correct assumption. Can Program Files located on D also be blocked from common users allowing program function only while storing data to the E drive?
Question #6 Is it complicated to share numerous Program Common Files located on D yet storing an individual's data to E?
Question #7 Is sharing Program Common Files accomplished via the same Shared Folder at the OS level or via user rights? I suspect both could do the job and if so, which is the most straight up method?
I apologize for the length of this but this is the third time I have gone through this and I want to protect my OS and Programs this time and establish a backup which I have never had.
Please put this in vanity. I was sure I checked that but it looks like it is in News/Activism. Sorry.
Bump for later reading.
Interesting questions.
With question # 1 - I am assuming you are using a partitioned drive, and not physically separate drive. I have XP as well, and have encountered various problems with using my single drive as a partitioned drive. Setting it up as non partitioned seemed to eliminate them. As I am always tinkering around with the system and hardware, I frequently do complete wipes and restores on the HD, so I really haven't had things in place long enough to get into any detailed sharing issues that you seem to be having.
Sorry I am in a hurry but off the top of my head:
1) Yes. I also often map "My Docs" to the other drive and this works seemlessly and makes user data backup easier.
2) Windows XP has issues with its ‘limited accounts’ in Workgroup style networks but if you are in Active Directory this might make sense. Basically outside of AD unless your limited users don’t need to run any apps or anything you are going to have to give them back permissions to these system directories which of course undoes most of the reasons to want limited accounts.
3) They’ll be where you put them.
4) Yes you are correct. If you use the disk manangement tools in the Management console (accessed by right clicking My Computer on the desktop and selecting “Manage” this is pretty easy to do.
5) See #4
6) Depends on how the application uses the filesystem
7) Remember that each user will have their own registry settings but if apps are installed for all users it would be straightforward. Access could be handled done both ways. Sharing is better if you are going to be access the folder over the network.
I am sure when I check back in a few hours FREEPERS will have had time to poke holes in my off the cuff answers but I hope this helps.
Once again I am forced to have my OS reloaded. I have an Administrator problem that I do not want to even address after literally 4 days on the phone with MS technical support's language barrier. My question is to all the FR tech folks who know XP-Pro, sharing and user rights.
My equipment:
(Originally Dell 8200 w/pentium 4 1.8mhz)
USB1.1 upgraded to High-Speed USB2 PCI Card (4 port)
80G hard drive (C)
Additional 80G internal drive petitioned (D & E).
RAM: 1.25GB memory.
OS is Windows XP-Professional with SP2
XP Office Professional 2002
Question #1
Does it make sense to load my OS on the 80G hard drive by itself. Then load all programs on the D drive with all user data stored on the E drive?
The E drive can then be backed up to an external backup drive.
Computer Configuration:
Because it would appear that I am continually doing something to mess up my Administrator account.
Question #2:
Is it feasible to accomplish the following?
1)--Allow only the Administrator access to the OS files.
2)--Allow another user rights to Program Files (excluding OS files to maintain integrity).
3)--Allow common users the ability to have a profile of their own liking and to only use programs but store their individual data on the E drive.
Question #3:
Do the actual file folders of common files like My Documents, My Pictures, My Albums, My Music still reside on the C drive with the OS as well as on the E drive because they are shared files?
Question #4:
If I understand correctly, the "my" folders, specific to each user and created by the OS, can be shared and data stored on the E drive while blocking access to the C and D drives. Is that assumption correct? Are they shared via the Shared Folder on the C drive?
Question #5:
If #4 is a correct assumption. Can Program Files located on D also be blocked from common users allowing program function only while storing data to the E drive?
Question #6:
Is it complicated to share numerous Program Common Files located on D yet storing an individual's data to E?
Question #7:
Is sharing Program Common Files accomplished via the same Shared Folder at the OS level or via user rights? I suspect both could do the job and if so, which is the most straight up method?
The drive C that I refer to is not petitioned 80GB. There is a second 80GB that is petitioned but is an internal drive also.
Partitioning your hard drive in that manner makes sense. Actually I recommend going with a OS partition, a swap partition (about 2 gigs), and then an data partition. Because of the way windows installs apps you really can't isolate the application install from the OS install, sorry. Go into your "system" icon under control panel and set the swap file size min and max to as close to the same size as possible and a bit under the size of the swap partition (just enough that windows doesn't complain that the drive is full).
I completely understand what you're trying to accomplish with the security paradigm you have outlined, but it's not going to work IMHO. The OS is just applications after all; how is a user supposed to have a functioning account if they can't use the OS?
I know you don't want to hear this, but what you want is linux. It's built from the ground-up as a multi-user OS and the kind of distinctions you want between and admin and user are childs play to set up, and one of the best new user distributions, Ubuntu, takes it a step further and uses something called sudo by default. Google on it, you'll love it.
Let's say for the sake of argument you're restricting access to just the internet and a mail program because you have a teenager in the house you don't want messing up your windows box. Either find a used ~1ghz pc on craigslist or used computer store, or set up a partition on your existing box and install Ubuntu. Play with it, google on your questions and ask for help in the Ubuntu forums.
Supposedly Vista does a much better job of being a multi-user OS than XP, so that could be another path for you, albeit a more expensive one. I have yet to play with it so I can't really comment.
Good luck!
Thanks for your response. I will analyze them all before I make a decision and appreciate all input.
No. Users need access to the OS files in order to run most programs.
2)--Allow another user rights to Program Files (excluding OS files to maintain integrity).
See #1
3)--Allow common users the ability to have a profile of their own liking and to only use programs but store their individual data on the E drive.
Setup their "My Documents" to point to the E: drive.
Protect your OS and Programs from what?
O.K. maybe I wasn't specific enough. I realize users need access to the OS and the Programs but does that access include making changes to the OS and/or Program Files?
Bump 'cause my Dell Dimension 4100 XP Pro is barely holding on until I care to invest $x,xxx for Vista and a new 'puter. I don't want to buy a new one until the initial rush of new buyers gets outta the way and hopefully the prices come down. It would also be good to have some of the bugs worked out of Vista before lurching forward. If mine crashes before the purchase I'm going to be in the same boat as Snoopers-868th...
LOL!
I love it!
Pretty cute. I gave it 128 hits.
This was exactly a long conversation my husband and I had. We have quite a bit of money tied up in this computer. The memory alone (Dell's special pronged stuff called gotcha'). At the time we bought it was a top of the line (some 5 years ago). We have done quite a bit of upgrading. We also have a 250GB external plug/play HD where all my music and pictures and valuable data are stored (not backed up). It will be quite some time before we go to Vista if ever. I am a long time computer user and all this pretty interface is just that. My music is still in files not in some player library. If I want to play it I go to it. Same for pictues, etc.
Thanks for the tips, I do appreciate them.
There was no blood-I want to see the damn thing bleed!! LOL
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