multi account's access to all programs

edogg

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how do i set the access to all programs for multi admin accounts on xp I want all accounts to share all programs and just have different wallpaper

edogg
 
when you install applications in XP you are normally asked if you want it to be available for all users, or just the installing account. If you want everyone to be able to use it, then simply select for all users.

Once its installed, thats it. However, you cant do this retrospectively I dont think.
 
it is retrospctively im interested in because the lappy in question is my granddaughters she is 10 and has set up accounts for 7 people 3 of them need to access most of the programs for instance firefox has to have adblock plus added for each account

edogg
 
then, unfortunately, someone will need to install the same software for all the accounts.
 
then, unfortunately, someone will need to install the same software for all the accounts.

damn it that's what i thought and in fact have been doing thanks for that info does the fact that it is xp pro make any difference

thank you

edogg
 
I think what you might find is that the shortcuts aren't showing on everones account and so it is just a case of adding the shortcuts as opposed to installing for each individual account.

Easiest way to sort this is:

Right Click "Start Button"
Click Explore All Users

This shows the common elements of the windows start menus. Just drag any shortcuts in here that you want to apply to everyone. Might not work for some programs that are account specific but I suspect that you wont have many (if any) of these programs installed.
 
thanks stevemac40 that sounds like the problem as it is programs like firefox has adblock plus missing on one account and utorrent didn't work on two accounts

edogg
 
that wont help for most applications that require a strict license

Virtually all software is licensed by computer, e.g. if you install office on a PC then anybody using that PC can use office.
 
Just a quick explaination. I assume that you are talking about one computer and several different people using that computer. The different between each person is two fold,

First there is a seperate file area under c:\document and settings for each user. So when the user looks at My Documents it is actually a sub-folder under their ID here.

There is a also a folder under each ID called Application data were programs such as Firefox and Outlook store user specific data.

Also under each ID are two folders called "Start Menu" and "Desktop" which is were user specific shortcuts are stored.

Note. This is also locked down by file permissions but as your users are all admins it does not matter.

There is special folder under here called "All Users". This is were common documents (called Shared Documents) are stored, plus common shortcuts for desktop and start menu.

The Second seperation is more critical and occurs in the registry. This is a special database that holds all the settings for your computer. The registry is split into an area which is system wide regardless of who logs on (e.g. hardware settings) and again a user specific area.

When an application installation, it normally puts it files into "c:\program files" and "c:\windows".

It also creates the short cut for the application. If the shortcut was created in the All Users desktop/start menu then anybody who signs onto the PC can see the shortcut. If the shortcut was created under a specific ID then only that ID can see the shortcut.

Enable to for all users to see a short cut created under a specific ID, all you need do is copy the shortcut from c:\documents and settings\<userid>\startmenu or desktop to c:\documents and settings\all users\startmenu or desktop.

When you run an application it finds out if the user specfic files and more likely registry settings already exist. It not then it will create a default set, thus any user can use the program.

Hopefully that all made sense.
 
@oneman thanks for that as well
@stevemac40 you are both very good at helping

thank you both
 
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