Windows 7 Security

By RonLugge on September 8, 2009 4:25:37 PM from

I'm playing around with the security stuff on Windows 7, specifically creating a limited user account that can't access my files (and most of my software ) without my permission, but can do other stuff (like play Oblivion / watch TV using the built in TV card).

I'm having a small problem with the process, however, as some programs (let's take Oblivion for example) pretty much require admin power to run. If I try to run without giving them admin permissions, they don't run. And if I use my password to give them permissions, they then have to enter my password every time to run the program... hence defeating the purpose of giving them a 'limited' account.

Anyone out there familiar enough with Vista / XP to solve this conundrum?

+61 Karma | 9 Replies

To give full control permissions right click your oblivion folder hit properties from there goto the security tab and just locate the everyone entry check off full control.

Quoting Glavius,

reply 1

You could give full control permissions to the everyone group on your folder containing Oblivion which should fix the problem (you may also need to do this for the specific file in the %appdata% folder that's relevant to said user account)

To give full control permissions right click your oblivion folder hit properties from there goto the security tab and just locate the everyone entry check off full control.

You could also limit the permission to just the user you create. I would recommend this instead of giving the full permission to Everyone. Also I would not give full control. Start off with Modify permission first and see if that does it.

Neither one appears to work; the game still wants my admin password to run.

I guess they ain't playing oblivion then! Hopefully, they aren't interested in that game

Try this: in the shortcut goto the compatability tab and click "change settings for all users" and check off "run this program as an administrator"

You'll need to place the modified shortcut in your user accounts desktop folder Ex: C:\Users\Glavius\Desktop

Also did you install oblivion for all users? Or create the user account after installing Oblivion? if so try installing Oblivion on the new user account and you shouldn't have issues. You can also try copying all the oblivion information from your profile into the user account you've created.... either way if you're going to reinstall oblivion back up your saves!

Also my current working theory on getting it to go no matter what is to create a task that stores the credentials for your login and then you just execute oblivion through the task sechduler (just create a short cut to the task) and that'll always make it run as you... But that has run into some problems like the local security policy not allowing task sechduler to store login information.

Find the exe for the program or for that matter anything else the game needs to load and do properties for it to run in admin mode. Thus would not matter who used the game it is ready to run no matter what. I do believe there is another way to do it in configuring the UAC for the program. This would only be available to an administrator and you would have to understand how the game works and so forth. Why not just set up another account with admin rights and use a password for it other than using the admin true password. That would still be setup for what settings you give it via a group policy. This would be hard to explain here but can be done. Windows 7 has some very good group policy settings for security.

There are many ways to do what you want - but I'm not completely sure of what you want to do and such???

The problem appears to be that obse_loader.exe (the oblivion script extender) wants to change some files on the HD; no matter which files I give it permission for, it still needs administrator OK. Not sure why.

About Oblivion and admin priveledges... Make sure to install the game in a non standard location, something like: C:\Games\Bethesda\Oblivion. That has to do with the fact that Oblivion (like lots of older software and games) write data to the folder in which it is installed. That practice is not allowed in Vista and Windows 7. It creates problems related to the so called "Virtual Store" mechanism. Just use any folder other than the standard folders (avoid folders like "Program Files (x86)" and "Programs Files") and you will be OK. Even without admin rights.

Well, too late for that (reinstalling oblivion would require reinstalling the bajillion mods I've got)

Thanks, though!

Don't give full control to the EVERYONE group. The problem is that software such as these games are developed and tested using administrative accounts, a common scenario in dev shops. When it comes time to test running games as limited user accounts, everything starts to break, and typically it's so late in the process that the vendor settles on requiring admin privileges. If the ever even go that far...

So the best thing to do is right-click the game executable or shortcut, click on the 'Compatibility' tab, and check the box at the bottom to 'Run this program as an administrator.'.

It's a failure from a security perspective, but changing permissions and rights for builtin groups such as EVERYONE would be a much much bigger failure.

The Forums Are Now Closed!

The content will remain as a historical reference, thank you.

Windows 7 Security