f13.net

I decided to fiddle with my OS in order to increase security. Idea was to move my normal login to user status instead of admin to increase system security. Probably good idea but fucking Win is not making it easy. Not surprisingly I have problems...

1) Quick lunch tool bar - how do I add desctop (hide all active windows) to it?
2) Host file - user login seems to ignore my extensive host file, as a result I got skullfucked by adds everywhere I go even through Mozilla noscript and flashblock... how to generalize admin host file to apply to all users
3) What else am I not doing?

I've never figured that out... except to transfer the file from one computer to the other. I uploaded mine here: http://www.calantus.com/show_desktop.zip

Just DL it, unzip it, and then Rclick->drag it onto the quicklaunch and select "Move here" and it will work.

#1: I don't know anything about Windows.
#2: Try to turn off "DNS Client" service.
#3: Check where the system thinks it should be in \HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters\DataBasePath.

If I understand correctly, find the file "Desktop" in your "Documents and Settings/*User Name*/SendTo" folder. Then drag it on to the quick launch bar.

I've gotten pretty good at setting up services, but the guy who got me started was the venerable Black Viper, who's page seems to be lost to time.

Archive:

http://web.archive.org/web/20041128084144/www.blackviper.com/WinXP/servicecfg.htm

WinXP Home, or Pro?  They have different capabilities/behaviors when it comes to user accounts and security.

I had to set up my regular account to be user only, and the two biggest problems I had to deal with were access to various files (you have to set up NTFS permissions on various folders so that the Users group can modify/execute your hosts and lmhosts files f.ex., and to be able to traverse check through the possibly restricted windows folder), and registry access (most games expect you to be logged in with admin privileges, and so stop working because the Users group doesn't have modify privileges to the HKLM\Software\WhateverGame keys, which can be fixed from regedit).

Pro 64

Are you looking for an icon for what winkey+m does?


Double-click My Computer, then choose Tools -> Folder Options from the menu, switch to the View tab, scroll all the way down, and make sure that Use simple file sharing is not checked.  Also, temporarily, you probably want to check Show Hidden Files and Folders, and uncheck Hide Protected OS Files.

I'm assuming that your hosts file is in windows\system32\drivers\etc?

If yes, click your way to \windows\system32\drivers, right-click Etc and choose properties, Security Tab, and make sure that the Users group has Read/Execute access.  By default, it should.  Then inside the Etc folder, the hosts file should also have read/execute for the Users group.  The Windows, System32, and Drivers folders should have read, read/execute, and list folder contents for the Users group.


As a note, my level of proficiency with Windows and pretty much any other software is a lot lower than that of others on this board, and it's often been the case that I've given useless advice that people already knew, making me feel stupid in the process, heh.  If that's the case here, sorry; I don't know how proficient you are with XP.  This is low level stuff.

Yes.

Quick launch bar being lost is a common XP problem.

http://windowsxp.mvps.org/QLError.htm

Do other searches on google for the problem if the above doesn't work, since the causes are multiple and the solutions different from case to case.

Fixed quick launch was conflict due to some legacy permissions, installer sometimes carries over weird stuff if its not format&reinstall. Also added my shortcut to desktop button. If anyone curious:


Meanwhile I just copied host file for user login, no idea why its not shared with admin... still sorting though it.

Sounds like water under the bridge at this point but imho (as a sys adm) the gains of security by denying yourself local administrative rights are small and the continual annoyance of not being administrative locally will wear your ass out.  Go back.