Bruce
Fri May 09 08:06:30 PDT 2008
M.I.5¾ wrote:
>
>
> Accurate though this response is, you should only use the account named
> 'Administrator' for emergency use. If your normal account is an
> administrator account then use that. If your normal account is limited then
> create an administrator account.
>
> It is generally recommended that even if you are the sole user of a
> computer, then the 'Administrator' account should be reserved for emergency
> use*, everyday useage should be on a limited account and a separate
> administrator account be used for installing software or other functions
> that require such an account.
>
I completely agree, in principle, but the OP may have run up against
one rare, poorly written applications that are actually hard-coded to be
installed *ONLY* by the *Administrator* local account.
It should never happen, I've encountered a very small sampling of
installation routines that had actually been written so that they would
work *only* when run from the built-in Administrator account, and then
only if the account hadn't been renamed, as is a common security practice.
I could not install these applications using a domain
administrative account, nor using the renamed built-in administrator
account. I actually had to disconnect the machine from the domain (as a
security precaution) and rename the built-in administrator account to
"Administrator" before the installation routine would work. Stupidest
thing I've ever encountered; but some developers simply have no concept
of multiple user accounts and/or proper security.
Of course, this condition is a limitation of those specific, poorly
written applications, not the operating system. When installation
routines are properly written, there is no functional difference between
the built-in Administrator account and any other accounts that are
members of the local Administrators group.
Snipped....
>
> *Microsoft obviously disagree because this account was deleted from Vista,
>
Untrue. Vista still has the built-in Administrator account, also
"hidden" like WinXP's. It's simply disabled by default, and becomes
active only if there are no other accounts with administrative
privileges present, thereby reinforcing the "emergency use only" purpose
of the account. It can, however, easily be enabled by the computer
user, and even displayed on the Welcome screen, if so desired.
--
Bruce Chambers
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