Is there a way to change options without logging in as an admin

Hi Folks

 

 

I am an old Norton fan for the DOS days, but abandoned Norton products when there became big clunky resource hogs. After seeing glowing reviews of NIS09 just about everywhere. I decided to ditch Zone Alarm Pro and D/L NIS9. Had to wait a day for my order to be processed and I was not pleased at that at ALL! Now I am trying to explore and tweak NIS but getting a bit frustrated. Is there a way to change options without logging in as an admin? I tried to 'runas' admin But that does not work. Having to log out and back in is a PITA. Zone alarm had a password to make a change, I am really hoping NIS has that ability as well.

 

I tried a forum search to find out if I can Install NIS with the  NIS09EN.exe file alone with out internet access but did not find any info. Should this be possible?

 

David

 

 

 

Obviously you must be using Vista correct?

Interesting statement. From my chair it IS obvious that I am using Vista, but on my laptop not 'this' computer.

This box is XP pro sp2. On the laptop I just turned UAC off.

 

I think I found the answer to my second query about the install file with a better search.

 

David

Well I am on XP. Both my pc’s are. I am the only user and Admin. I never have any problems changing settings in NIS 2009.

If you use the admin account for everyday activity (not a good idea) then this issue would not come up. I use a regular

user account almost always. To install a program or do admin stuff I use runas.

Runas is one of the things MS got right.

 

David

There is nothing wrong with using an Admin account for everday use.


wavy wrote:

If you use the admin account for everyday activity (not a good idea) then this issue would not come up. I use a regular

user account almost always. To install a program or do admin stuff I use runas.

Runas is one of the things MS got right.

 

David


 

Runas has always seemed to me to be just another version of the emperor's new clothes.  Does anyone actually have any data about its real value in preventing malware infections?  My kid uses Vista but I don't, so I have no personal experience with this.

Oooo how did you come to have that opinion? I am certainly not an expert but from everything I have read

that supposed experts have written that is a very bad idea. If someone does manage to take control of your computer

in many if not all cases control is only at the levelof the account being used.

 

David

Runas is in XP and if memory serves 2K as well. I use it often.

 

David

 

 

On my VISTA OS's I usually install utilities like Norton using Run as Administrator ..... FWIW

 

I have not run into problems but then I am usually operating as Administrator in the meaning VISTA attaches to that on its public face. And I have not run into any problems with that either <s>


wavy wrote:

Runas is in XP and if memory serves 2K as well. I use it often.

 

David

 


It is my understanding that the visible Administrator status in XP and in VISTA are different.

 

Run as Administrator in VISTA is not the same as running as the (hidden) Administrator at the top of the tree. What it does is to allow the User to run "with elevated privileges" which is apparently not quite the same thing.

 

As I said above I install utilities and stuff I trust using Run as Administrator in VISTA but I've never done this in XP nor found that I suffered from this.

<<  Does anyone actually have any data about its [Run As ...] real value in preventing malware infections?  >>

 

I've never thought of it as a means of avoiding malware infections but the restricted user status was mainly to stop them messing up the system!

 

To my knowledge I've not suffered from running as what VISTA calls me as Administrator, nor with elevated privileges or using RaA.

 

But then I'm behind a hardware firewall, I have Norton Internet Security and I don't go to dirty places or give my bank account details in reply to emails from my bank asking me to confirm my login data!

 

Ironically I've just had a call from one of my creditcard companies -- yes I did call back to discuss it -- indicating that someone has duplicated my card and swiped it in Canada yesterday!

Happy new year folks.

 

Good luck with the CC problem huwyngr.

 

I am still hoping to find a way to control NIS w/o an actual admin login. I have found that NIS has 'removed'

quite a bit of stuff with out asking, some of which I recognize as utilities.

 

Regards,

David