Windows XP: Stopping Admin from installing application

Sean^DCT4

Hi all,

Does anyone know how to stop a certain user (with admin rights) on a Windows XP Home/Pro OS from installing a certain application?

The reason for this is that this user keeps on upgrading a certain application anytime there is a small update released for it.. hence installing the demo version in place of the full version.

I would prefer if this could be done through the registry rather than installing some application to prevent this.


Thanks in advance,

Seány

seamus

Probably not is the answer. On XP home it's very unlikely. On XP Pro, you may be able to use Group Policy to restrict him/her.

Many applications provide some form of administrative/group install that allows you to prevent anyone but the admin from changing or upgrading the application.

I would think though that if they're constantly doing this despite being asked not to, then you remove their admin rights.

Sean^DCT4

seamus wrote:

Probably not is the answer. On XP home it's very unlikely. On XP Pro, you may be able to use Group Policy to restrict him/her.

Many applications provide some form of administrative/group install that allows you to prevent anyone but the admin from changing or upgrading the application.

I would think though that if they're constantly doing this despite being asked not to, then you remove their admin rights.

yeah i'll have a look at the group policy editor thing. Haven't used it too much before but it should be ok..

removing the user's admin rights is not an option at this time unfortunately.

Thanks

Seán

Capt'n Midnight

If a user has admin rights then they can do whatever they want,
maybe you could GPO to override stuff, but I'd be sure a local admin can then override back again some how. ( ah... XP home so no GPO and admin = god )

Give user poweruser rights on laptop

Do they have admin rights because a particular app needs it - in which case you may be able to assign rights to certain folders / reg settings to a group which you then add the user to. Nero burnrights is an example of this sort of thing. Autocad is a real pain too.

If they have admin rights for political reasons then make sure those higher in the food chain KNOW that a user with admin rights can do anything they want to the windows, remind them of the liability for unlicensed software and the ONLY way to sort is to give them many but not all rights.

Sean^DCT4

Capt'n Midnight wrote:

If a user has admin rights then they can do whatever they want,
maybe you could GPO to override stuff, but I'd be sure a local admin can then override back again some how. ( ah... XP home so no GPO and admin = god )

Give user poweruser rights on laptop

Do they have admin rights because a particular app needs it - in which case you may be able to assign rights to certain folders / reg settings to a group which you then add the user to. Nero burnrights is an example of this sort of thing. Autocad is a real pain too.

If they have admin rights for political reasons then make sure those higher in the food chain KNOW that a user with admin rights can do anything they want to the windows, remind them of the liability for unlicensed software and the ONLY way to sort is to give them many but not all rights.

Thanks for the lengthy reply Capt'n Midnight. From your post I think you get the impression that I am in a work environment...

I am trying to restrict a friends sister from re-installing the free version of LimeWire over the Pro version that his family has actually paid for.

She has done this several times and she also must have admin rights (don't ask).

I have taken seamus' advice and looked into the Group Policy editor.. It's very simple to restrict file types here. Have a look at it and you'll see what I mean..


The only thing I need to do is find out exactly where LimeWire downloads the update to when it is actually running. Then I can set the path in the Group Policy to restrict it.

I'll probably have to try and get some info from LimeWire developers forum.. ?

Or if anyone here knows what I'm on about?



Thanks,

Seány

astrofool

Why exactly does she persist in reinstalling the free version? You could also block the site that the update comes from by editing the hosts file, would stop her in her tracks. I'm sure you could also get limewire not to check for updates. Though why someone would pay for Limewire I don't know, if I did pay for it, i'd expect upgrade protection to be included, push them onto Azureus maybe?

Capt'n Midnight

also
antivirus software may have a block list - if you can find the name of the limeware software update you could have the antivirus block it, use wildcards like * for the version number

and each time that muppet does it just do a system restore

XJR

For heavens sake, the problem is not the install the problem is that she has admin rights . Sort that out and the problem is sorted out.

unnameduser

Capt'n Midnight wrote:

Give user poweruser rights on laptop

Don't think Home edition has power users. AFAIK home edition as either normal users, or admins and no other types.

Op, the problem is that you have home edition. It does not give you the same levels of control as XP Pro. You could get a XP pro disk and upgrade directly to Pro.

I dont think there is a group policy in Home edition as there are no groups in home edition, just users.

I would go with the solution of removing changing the a/c to just normal privileges or finding the site that the updates come from and going to Internet options, Hit the content tab, into content advisor, add the name of the site to approved sites and hit never. Stick a password on content advisor too.

Galen

Use an app called TrustNoExe.

In a nutshell, trustnoexe is a free program that hooks your kernel & will detect/block any excutable unless you have put that executable on your "allowed" list. To access it go to the windows control panel.

To find out more go to http://www.beyondlogic.org/solutions/trust-no-exe/trust-no-exe.htm

Sean^DCT4

@astrofool
I do not know why she keeps on installing the free, slightly newer versions over the Pro. I think there may be a psychological imbalance at play here Especially since I have told her numerous times.

As far as I know, Limewire doesn't provide the functionality to stop you from receiving updates. You can stop them from automatically installing but that is as far as it goes.


@Capt'n Midnight
I will try Group Policy and then via AV/Firewall software (using ZoneAlarm Security Suite v7.xxx).


@XJR
By reading the thread you would have seen a comment I posted already:

Sean^DCT4 wrote:

removing the user's admin rights is not an option at this time unfortunately.

The problem is the install...


@unnameduser
It's definitely the Pro(SP2) version of XP.


@Galen
TrustNoexe looks like a GUI version of what can already be done via the Group Policy. It will probably save me some time, but I still need to find the name of the actual exe that is executed and/or downloaded when Limewire attempts to upgrade

astrofool

You can make a new user an admin, login to that account and then remove admin rights from the other user. All this can be done from computer management. Of course, password the new user.

XJR

Sean^DCT4 wrote: »

@XJR
By reading the thread you would have seen a comment I posted already:


The problem is the install...

I did get that however it seems that you're treating the symptom and not the cause.