HALL OF SHAME HONOREES for ADMIN RIGHTS
Nominations to the "Hall of Shame" can be entered here
Administrator rights open your system up to Malware and other security issues.
| Name of Application | Vendor | Requires Admin/Power user | Good Vendor Award | Changes needed or other vendor KBs documenting workarounds |
| Listing of Applications |
Certain Programs Do Not Work Correctly If
You Log On Using a Limited User Account: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307091 |
|||
| Visual Studio specifically on Vista | Microsoft | Microsoft states to run as Admin on Vista - the operating system better designed to take away such rights |
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/vstudio/aa972193.aspx http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/vstudio/aa964140.aspx Microsoft recommends that when using Visual Studio 2005, you do the following:
|
|
| Quickbooks 2007 when used on Vista, or in a network setting | Intuit | Not quite but must run in multi user mode or on Vista |
 |
QUICKBOOKS 2007 NOW ALLOWS NON ADMINISTRATORS TO RUN THE PROGRAM ON THE WORKSTATION IF YOU ARE RUNNING VISTA OR HAVE A NETWORK/MULTI USER INSTALL OF THE PROGRAM http://www.quickbooksgroup.com/forums/install/1461/4?50 |
| Blackthorne Ebay Auction Software | Blackthorne | Must run with admin rights or needs registry fix |
Can be adjusted
using registry key information obtained from Lua Buglight Tool Vendor has provided a workaround as follows: HOWTO__Running_eBay_Blackthorne_on_a_Windows_Limited_User_Account.htm |
|
| Quickbooks 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007 | Intuit | Power user or above |
Vendor "workaround" is to require Power user http://www.quickbooks.com/support/faqs/qbw2002/premier/129407.html Steps needed to make "user" mode on 2006 and prior
Instructions to get
it to work under non admin are here |
|
| ProSeries Tax Products | Intuit | Administrator | http://www.proseries.com/support/ty03/faqs/docs/10406.shtml | |
| Lacerte Tax Software | Intuit | n.a. | Requires a large number of ports 10,000 - 10,100 open for proper operation | |
| Ridder R8 | Ridder | Administrator | Vendor has been contacted and understands the problem; Workaround as per vendor advice: Run as Local Admin | |
| Internet Explorer [and web browsers in general] |
Microsoft Mozilla, etc |
n.a. | Use High Security zone, Adaware, Spybot to protect yourself from any browser that scripts, http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k/Malware_Defence.htm | |
| Winfax Pro | Symantec | n.a. | Office Macros are not signed - if you do not lower the macro security settings you get constant annoying warnings in Office, including a pop-up error when you close Word. | |
| McAfee Virus Scanner Updates | McAfee | Extensive use of ActiveX |
No runas available - must be fully logged on as admin for virus definition update to be installed. |
|
| MYOB | MYOB Limited | Administrator | Requires use of local admin | |
| AUTOCAD | Autocad | Admin/Power user | http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/item?siteID=123112&id=2887201&linkID=2475323 | |
| Picasa | Picasa | Admin | http://www.picasa.com/support/category.php?cid=8&sourceid=pic&subid=aboutf#102 | |
| World Championship Poker | ValueSoft | Admin | Saves data to a subfolder in Program Files. No configuration editor to change default save path. | |
 |
|
UPDATE - vendor no longer recommends full control -- Admin access required to install, but afterwards can run with regular permissions |
||
| Business Visions | Softline Company | Power user | We had problems running this app on our Win2k3 terminal server - accept for myself - the administrator. They had originally said that to run on a terminal server, that user had to have local power user or admin access. They did provide some registry keys to change the access to everyone - full but that did not work. THe only records was to grant power user access. Scary stuff. Problem is, this is our accounting software so we really didn't have much choice! | |
| Peachtree [OLDER THAN 2004] | Best Products | Admin |
|
PLEASE NOTE - 2004 AND 2005 VERSIONS WILL RUN IN RESTRICTED USER RIGHTS - UPGRADE YOUR VERSION OF PEACHTREE TO LATER VERSIONS THAT DO SUPPORT RESTRICTED USER |
| Asset Keeper | ProWare | Needs to explicitly be logged in as admin to install | ||
| Adobe output server | Adobe | Admin | Requires account running it to had domain admin rights | |
| Meditech client | Meditect | Needs admin rights | ||
| HP PSC 1210 | HP | "Installing psc1210 printer/scanner/copier on windows xp o/s requires administrator privilages to print ANY type of document from ANY application (Word,Excel,Powerpoint even Notepad!!). Tried for ages to develop a workaround for this to allow limited account users to print to no avail. HUGE install (over 180mb) with all sorts of crappy applications (HP director, Photo Editor etc) bundled together with the drivers for the printer & scanner. (The printer & scanner drivers are NOT available on their own). Can load other drivers to get printer to print, but, need to uninstall print driver then load scan driver to get scanner to work as both alternate drivers will not work together on same printer. On the whole, a waste of £99 as it does not allow printing from a limited account - would have been better to buy seperate scanner & printer." | ||
| Thomas Guide Digital Edition 2005 | Rand McNally | Power user | ||
| All in one Printer Driver | HP | Admin | "Contacted HP support and was told that HP and Microsoft were working on the problem and in the meantime use the workaround of assigning ""Full"" privileges to the Windows (or WniNT) folder to Users and Power Users. This workaround did not work for me on a Win2K machine or on a WinXP(SP1) machine. Upgraded recently to SP2 and will try it there. " | |
| Stamps.com | Stamps.com | Admin | Alternatively, they make available, on request, a program called "PERMS.EXE" that gives Users write permissions on their program folder and reg keys. | |
| Paper port v 10 | Scan Soft | admin | http://knowledgebase.scansoft.com/view.asp?tnID=6185&sQuery= | |
| Quickbooks 2005 Timer | Intuit | admin | 16-bit app furnished with Quickbooks 2005 Pro and above. (And as if that wasn't enough...it's a very buggy 16-bit app!) | |
| CitiDirect on Sun Java | Citigroup | Admin | https://www.citidirectonline1.citidirect.citicorp.com/web/cda/faq/detail.jsp?faqId=465 | |
| Interaccess Telnetd | admin | |||
| Adobe 7 and CS | Adobe | Power User | http://www.adobe.com/support/techdocs/328409.html | |
| Newsbin Pro 4.32x | Newsbin Pro | Admin | ||
|
PunkBuster Anti Cheat Software and Many Games |
www.punkbuster.com | Admin |
"Will not accept anything less than FULL file access to
your computer. Even when other, BETTER methods for cheat protection can be accomplished. Does not say anymore what it is searching & transmitting." |
|
| UPS WorldShip | www.ups.com | Admin | Requires admin to install (no biggie) but LOCAL ADMIN to run the program and print shipping labels! what gives guys? The receptionist does NOT need local admin access, as long as we dont need to ship anything, according to UPS. | |
| Starwood Resorts Wi-Fi authentication | Starwood Resorts | Admin | Laptop users must be elevated to admin (power user won't do) in order to authenticate to Starwood's WiFi network via web browser and credit card. | |
| Reflection 7 | QAD | Power user | ||
| Prime | AMS Software | Admin | ||
| Line 50 Multicompany | Sage | Admin | ||
| HummingBird DM (Docsfusion | Hummingbird.com | Admin/Power user |
DOCSFusion should be installed on a Member or Standalone
server. Installing on a Primary or Backup domain controller may result
in the following issues:
|
|
| Right Cad Sanitas | ZollData | Admin | ||
| Norton Antivirus | Symantec | Admin | The document at http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/sharedtech.nsf/d3c44a1678bd8f45852566aa005902cb/ddff30e8c11384c688256a31005cf0d7?OpenDocument&prod=Norton%20AntiVirus&ver=2005&src=sg&pcode=nav&svy=&csm=no explains that there is no way in the consumer product to upgrade the antivirus engine or virus signature files unless you run as admin. | |
| Open Office | OpenOffice.Org | Admin | ||
| Word Search 7 | Word Search | Admin | Word Search 7 can only be run from an admin account | |
| Studio 8 | PinnacleSys.com | Admin | Requires local admin to run | |
| Winamp5.093 (and older) | Nullsoft | Admin | ||
| Instant Accounts | Sage | Admin | Appears that it will run as Power user | |
| Win XP [Pro and Home] | Microsoft | Admin | Cannot load local printers without admin/power user rights | |
| Microsoft Money | Microsoft | Admin | http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=870881 | |
| Citrix Metaframe XP client | Citrix | Admin | requires admin rights when used with proxy auto config (PAC) file in order that it can parse the Javascript in the PAC file! | |
| Microsoft Office | Microsoft | Macros |
- require "macro security" to be configured to run
unsigned macros - have multiple security bugs that have been reported, but remain unpatched (and security patches must be free) - call home without informing the user very, very clearly of this early during the installation process, allowing the user to either stop installing the application or preferably opt out of this feature (in fact, Windows XP itself doesn't meet this requirement) |
|
| Express Options, Express Stock Purchase and Express Insider Forms | Transcentive | Admin | Requires Administrator privileges unless you modify HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Transcentive folder to allow users Full Control over those keys. | |
| PC Charge | Verifone | Admin | The program require Local Admin rights when using the PC Charge client application. As a stand alone product PC Charge will work with user rights but not in a multi user environment. | |
| GFI Faxmaker | GFI | Domain Admin | Requires DOMAIN ADMINISTRATOR account in order to SEND AND RECEIVE FAX MESSAGES! "Response from vendor: Thank-you for your e-mail and interest in FAXmaker. A Domain Administrator Account is used to allow access to Active Directory lookups, file access permissions and machine resources. You can make a copy of the Domain Administrator Account and use this account if you do not wish to use the Domain Administrator Account in FAXmaker. " | |
| Audition | Adobe | Admin | Adobe Audition requires Admin access to rip audio from CDs. There is some workarounds, but thet were all self developed and the vendor does not outline what they are. | |
| RootsMagic | RootsMagic | Admin | ||
| Rational Suite Enterprise SR4 2003 | IBM | Admin | ||
| Report Exec | Competitive Edge Software | Admin | ||
| Envisionner | Cadsoft | Admin | From README.HTM: "If you are installing Envisioneer 2.5 on Windows XP, your user account should be set to Computer Administrator (not Limited) to install and run the program." | |
| Act! | Best Products | Admin | In a terminal server configuration the program requires administrator rights. In defense of act!, the configuration is not officially supported. | |
| AllMeds | AllMeds | Admin | Requires Everyone group be given Full Control permissions on Program Files folder, and updates/patches via batch file run in user's context. | |
| Mortgage Brain | Mortgage Brain (www.mbl.co.uk) | Admin | ||
| Netgear WG111T Smart Wizard | Netgear | Admin | Their technical support said there is no problem with their product and that this is a problem with Windows so I should call Microsoft. | |
| Battlefied 2/Punk Buster | EArts | Admin | """Why does PunkBuster now require players to run the game as an administrator under WinXP/2K? Because some cheats/hacks cannot be detected otherwise.""" "I tried all the suggested tricks, but I can't fix it. ""Blocked O/S Privileges : 4FD"" ""Inadequate O/S Privileges"" http://www.elitecoders.org/forum/archive/index.php/t-6970.html http://www.punksbusted.com/forums/lofiversion/index.php/t6094.html " | |
| Belkin Wireless Network card 54g | Belkin | Admin | there are no vendor recommendations on this, either on their website or after contacting call centre and spending a lotof time explaining the problem the belkin wireless card drivers will not start unless a power user / administrator (not tested power user rights but assume this is the case) As ordinary user one cannot start the driver and so cannot connect to the wireless access point / router(s) I have not been able to find a workaround to this issue yet and belkin are not forthcoming with a solution. | |
| Turbo Tax through 2004 | Intuit | Admin | ||
| Trillian | Cerrulean | Admin | Not a vendor comment, but relies admin rights as there is only a single configurable path for logging, and that writes to guess where: Program Files. | |
| Modular Messenging | Avaya | Admin | ||
| ITunes Center | Apple | Admin | ||
| McAfee 8 Pro | McAfee | Admin | ||
| PhotoSmart 1215 drivers | HP | Admin | Tried everything to get even just the printer function to work in limited user mode (printing direct without spooling, checking permissions on all spool directories, changing the "Everyone" permissions on the printer to match those of the Power User group, etc.) No luck. User must run in Power User mode. This was an XP Pro SP2 system using HP's latest 3.5.11 driver | |
| Quark Express for Macintosh | Quark | Admin | Requires read and write access by every user to /Applications/QuarkXPress 6.0 folder and several sub-folders. (All folders in /Applications should be read only to normal users.) " http://www.quark.com/products/xpress/tech_info/60knownissues.html states: Mac OS X only: If a user other than the one who activated QuarkXPress logs on and attempts to launch the application, the error message “QuarkXPress 6.0 cannot be run from a locked volume” displays. To avoid this problem, set the QuarkXPress permissions (File > Get Info > Ownership > Permissions) to share with other users after you install it." | |
| TurboTax/Its Deductible | Intuit | Admin |
Last year, Turbo Tax worked well as non-admin, except for an annoying error message on each startup that it couldn’t self-update. One place where it fell down was if you bought the “ItsDeductible” add-on, which just barfed. The only thing that has changed this year is that ItsDeductible now comes with the product. Run ItsDeductible as non-admin and you get this: --------------------------- DATABASE ERROR! --------------------------- -2147467259 - [Microsoft][ODBC Microsoft Access Driver]General error Unable to open registry key 'Temporary (volatile) Jet DSN for process 0xe10 Thread 0xdb8 DBC 0xbe6ff4 Jet'. TurboTax ItsDeductible2005 Version 9.5.0 Cannot Continue. Please visit our Help and Support on the Web at www.ItsDeductible.com for Assistance. |
|
| Raisers Edge Fundraising Software | Blackbaud | Admin | Requires admin rights | |
| AlphaCam | Planit | Admin |
http://www.planit.com/uk/alphacam/ |
|
| Bluetooth for Windows | Widcomm | Admin | Admin rights | |
| GhostWall Version 1.15 | GhostSecurity | Admin | Considering this is a Firewall, requiring Admin right to initialize the engine, makes this software extremely useless. | |
| Earthlink Total Access | Earthlink | Admin | ||
| CommTrack Hub | Outerlink | Admin | Looks like a 16-bit app; Also requires a "helper application" in order to use IP. I think that is the reason for the admin access. Does not run as a service. | |
| Audition 2.0 | Adobe | Admin | Ripping audio requires administrative rights. | |
| Cadsoft | Envisioneer 3.0 | Admin | Same info as you've already posted for Envisioneer 2.5. (Note spelling of 'Envisioneer'.) | |
| Wireless software for FSD7001UK | Belkin | Admin | "This is an update to the earlier Belkin nomination. The issue has not been resolved. I'm fairly sure power user does not work either. Though it was a while ago I tested it. The radio button disables itself unless the local admin permission is available, to the logged in person. Belkin have said this is a Microsoft issue, though I have other wireless cards that work fine without this permission and they seemed to backtrack when I pointed this out. I asked for the drivers to use with Microsofts wireless software, but was told these where unavailable." | |
| Cisco Network Assistant v 3.1 | Cisco | Admin | Seems like if anyone should understand the principle of least permission, it's a company that purports to sell security devices! | |
| Odyssey Assistant | Tyler Technologies | Admin | "Needs admin rights to install AND to get updates http://www.tyler-tsg.com/products/JUD/ODY_Cmgr/w.htm" | |
| Geneifax | Omtool | Admin | Service account MUST be Domain Admin, and have Full Control of Exchange Server. | |
| Tides and Currents | Jepperson | Admin | Requires admin rights | |
| HP Director | HP | Admin | ||
| Cisco SSL/VPN client for ASA/VPN concentrator | Cisco | Admin | Must have local administrator permissions to install ssl vpn clients! Posture checking is nice.. but administrator permissions drives up support costs! | |
| Watchgard SSL/VPN Client | Watchguard/Citrix | Admin | Must have local administrator permissions to install and use ssl vpn client! Posture checking is nice.. but administrator permissions drives up support costs as unable to connect unless member of local administrator group. | |
| Norton Systemworks 2005/2006 | Symantec | Admin | Requires Admin to run LiveUpdate or NortonAntivirus (yet places an update icon in all user system trays) | |
| Lego Star Wars | Eidos Interactive LucasArts | Admin | Eidos recommends customers run as Administrator; FAQ documents the error messages seen when run under non-administrator account, but describes the problem as being due to running the program on Windows 95 or 98... Which is strange, because on those platforms, of course, everyone is admin. | |
| AverTV USB 2.0 | AverMedia | Admin | ||
| Kodak EasyShare 5.2 | Eastman Kodak | Admin | The program gives an error message complaining about not having full rights EVERY TIME it is started, and it puts itself in the startup group. There is no way to acknowledge the issue. Vendor says that nothing can be done, and there is NO guidance in its FAQs. | |
| SonicStage | Sony | Admin | ||
| Real Arcade | Real | Admin | It isn't documented as requiring Admin privileges (at least the last time checked), but it doesn't work without them (checked today). I tried to submit this as a bug, and was told that it wasn't a bug, because it requires Admin privileges to run. When a user without Admin privileges tries to run it, the following error message results: "RealOne Arcade is unable to update its registry settings and therefore cannot start", etc. It has other antisocial features as well, but this is the most irritating. | |
| CanoScan | Canon | Admin | Cannot use Canon scanner without admin. privileges. No mention of it on the useless Canon website! | |
| William Hill Casino | Free | Admin | ||
| Basic Inventory and Accounting | Basic Software.com | Admin | Must have local admin (or domain admin for domains) rights to install and run the client-side portion of the program. | |
| WG111 USB wireless software | Netgear | Admin | No Internet connection / Connection utility does noy run unless user is member of administrators group. | |
| IP communicator | Cisco | Admin | I can't get IP Communicator to run on my office PCs unless users are in the local admin group. Was going to try Runas with Savecred, and found out that was useless. Jeez! | |
| HP PSC 1215 Drivers | HP | Admin | When using XP Home Edition this driver of the HP PSC 1215 requires you to be an Admin user. Limited users are unable to print, although a printjob is visible in the queue when trying to print. My policy is that normal users don't need admin rights and I won't give them these rights to get something out of their printer. Here's a solution to get this fixed: I used the utility FileMon to see what happens when you try to print something as a restricted user. While trying to print, a lot of ACCESS DENIED messages appeared on the C:\Windows\Temp folder. When you print, the HP driver wants to create files in this folder. Know that this folder is not accessible for restricted users. Using the XCACLS utility from the Resource Kit you can change the ACL on this folder. After granting the restricted users Full Control rights on this folder you are able to print as a restricted user. Here's the command to grant the needed rights: xcacls c:\windows\temp /E /G INGEBOUWD\Gebruikers:F Here's the command to view/check the rights: xcacls c:\windows\temp INGEBOUWD\Gebruikers:(OI)(IO)F INGEBOUWD\Gebruikers:(CI)F Excuses for the dutch example of the command, can't help that my XP Home is dutch. Replace "INGEBOUWD\Gebruikers" with "BUILTIN\Users" when using an english version of XP Home. Hope this is usefull to someone. Cheers! Marcel Vons | |
| Next Gen 5.5 | Next Gen | Admin |
Not only all users have to have admin rights on workstations but most
tof the database we saw were based on sa without password Vendoe claims to be the best software in its class for EMR, wonder how can they even get HIPAA certification |
|
| Alloy Asset Navigator 4.5 | Alloy Software | Admin | Stores per-user configuration in program folder under %programfiles%\Alloy Software\Asset Navigator 4\settings | |
| Photoshop Elements | Adobe | Admin | The setup process for Adobe Photoshop Elements adds an explicit Everyone (Full) permission on the folder, files, and all sub-folders that program was installed to. | |
| EdgeCam | Pathtrace | Admin | Vendor instructions state you must be a power user to use this program. It stores its settings in C:\Program Files\ and won't support sharing postprocessor files from a network location. | |
| TimeSlips for Attorneys | Cap and gown | Admin | Cannot operate as a User requires to a minimum POWER-USER, rights. Writes to registry on each use. | |
| MediaMax cd3 copy prevention system | SunComm | Admin | no vendor input | |
| Business Objects 5.1.3 | ||||
| Sitelink | SMD Software | Admin | ||
| Dentrix 11.0 | Dentrix | Admin | The vendor requires the local user to be a local administrator in order for the product to run correctly. | |
| Wintotal | Alamode | Admin | Wintoal will auto update and it them needs local administrator rights to update its self the next time its run | |
| Sony Sound Forge 7/8 | Sony | Admin | Must have Admin Rights to access cd / dvd drives | |
| Belkin Wireless Card 54g | Belkin | Admin | This is an update to the existing entry for this application. I went through the Belkin tech support person who told me I had to be an admin to use this network adapter and his supervisor who tried that line and then retreated to the position that "it's a Windows problem, contact Microsoft - we can't tell you how to configure Windows settings". I finally the got supervisor's supervisor on the line. He was quite helpful. He told me that I merely needed to disable this utility (Belkin Wireless Configuration Utility) by unchecking its box that says let this utility manage connection settings and check the box in the windows "Wireless Networking" tab of the connection's TCP/IP properties that says (something like) "Let windows manage this connection". I then set the connection up using the windows wireless networking configuration settings and the network adapter works fine for either admin or limited users (must be admin to configure it initially). It's just the Belkin configuration utility that is apparently incompatible with Windows XP - you have to let windows manage the connection, not the Belkin utility. | |
| Punkbuster | Evenbalance | Admin | This is a common "Anti-Cheat" software used for computer gaming | |
| Restrospect Backup Multi Server 6.5.350 | Dantz | Admin | Upon startup dialog box appears (if you are not admin) "Retrospect requires administrator privileges for backup. If you continue without administrator privileges, Retrospect cannot back up your data completely and some features may fail." Note: this occurs in the SERVER program which only needs to read from the network and write to the tape drive. The CLIENT programs, which run on the machines being backed up, of course must be able to read every file on the disk being backed up, but the SERVER should need no such access. | |
| Print Shop CD Label Creator 1.0 | Broderbund | Admin | Error message on screen says "must run as administrator" | |
| Intel Graphics Driver Schemes Feature | Intel | Admin | Note: The Schemes feature may not be available if this feature is disabled by the system manufacturer or the user has limited rights to the system. | |
| Yahoo Messenger | Yahoo | Admin | Will not fully function if not run in a power user or administrator account. | |
| Microsoft Money 2008 | Microsoft | Admin to register | The program requires admin privs on first run to activate the program. | |
| ClearVantage Association Management Software | Euclid Technology | Admin Rights |
http://www.euclidtechnology.com/ Vendor recommends users be granted administrator rights to the entire C: drive. Limited account restriction is possible under version 6.x as follows: A user must first launch the program twice with admin rights. Then, that user account can be locked down with USER level rights. NOTE: Any attempt by another user to launch the software will result in an IMSASCS.EXE error and require a clean uninstall and reinstall to mitigate. Roaming profiles may be a work-around. The issue appears to be caused by vendor’s licensing schemes and/or storing of data in C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32 or the first user’s DOCUMENTS AND SETTINGS folder(s). Note: Version 6.x is based on BDE which Microsoft no longer supports and BDE’s author, Borland, ceased development in 2001.1. |
|
Nominations to the "Hall of Shame" can be entered here
That really annoying tag line that she used to stick in her email all the time....
Nominations on this site without links to official vendor links have not been independently verified and are based on representations of affected users.