Administrator configuration changes to Users

I have just re-installed 2000 on my home system. previously I always ran as Administrator.

I have decided to run as a Power User except for Program installs, re-configurations etc.

Now, the silly question - how do I set my User account so that all Administrator configuration changes, program installs etc. are applied and accessible to the user (desktop view etc.)? Can the Power User then delete desktop shortcuts (for example) if these were created whilst logged in as Administrator?

Bottom line - I want to "administer" the Power User account, not administer the Administrator account


Great BBS. Thanks.

 

Most newer programs will create desktop and Start menu icons in the All Users profile so no matter what user logs on, the icons are available to them. If you have a program that only installs the icons to the Administrator profile, simply move them to the All Users profile in C:\Documents and Settings\.

If you're running NTFS, you'll also need to make sure you grant your other user(s) permissions to delete/modify/etc... those icons if you want them to be able to do so.

As far as other desktop configurations such as screen saver, appearance, etc... those are all unique from user to user. However, if you really want to fool with it, you can copy the NTUSER.DAT file from the Administrator profile to the other profile(s) but you will have to do that after each change to the desktop configuration. If you copy it to the Default User profile, every new user that logs into the workstation will get the configuration specified in the NTUSER.DAT file. Personally I think it's more trouble than it's worth.

 

The user configuration tabs give you the option of defining a profile path.

Where should the Administrator and the Power user profiles be set (if at all?)

There are profiles in C:\documents and settings\ and in \wintn\profiles\ directory?

I guess the objective is to have Administrator and the User both read and Modify the same Profile by default.

The help facility in WIN2000 tells you how to change the fields, not what the field does. I am now thinking I will simply run as Administrator and be done!

thanks for the response.

 

I've never tried pointing two user accounts to the same profile. If it will even let you do it, I gotta think the results may be disasterous.

The fact that you have profiles both in C:\Documents and Settings and C:\winnt\profiles tells tells me you have upgraded your computer from Windows NT or a particular program written for NT has created the C:\winnt\profiles directory since it doesn't know anywhere else to find profiles. By default, Windows 2000 keeps all profiles in C:\Documents and Settings.