Multi user issue resolved
Tuesday, November 8, 2005 by Chef Garry | Discussion: WindowBlinds
At long last, I've finally managed to resolve my problem getting WB 4.95 working with multi-user accounts. I know there's at least one other soul with this problem so here's what worked.
First I uninstalled WB4.6 and rebooted. On reboot, I deleted all non-skin files in my WB directory, then installed WB4.95 and rebooted. Admin accounts worked with WB fine but not limited accounts so I made all users admins and tried again without success. So I rebooted with all users as admins. Now WB worked on all accounts.
Of course giving everyone admin rights isn't a good thing so I changed them back to limited users and tried changing skins. This time WB worked just fine even on limited accounts. A bit more effort than ODNT applications normally need but all's well now.
First I uninstalled WB4.6 and rebooted. On reboot, I deleted all non-skin files in my WB directory, then installed WB4.95 and rebooted. Admin accounts worked with WB fine but not limited accounts so I made all users admins and tried again without success. So I rebooted with all users as admins. Now WB worked on all accounts.
Of course giving everyone admin rights isn't a good thing so I changed them back to limited users and tried changing skins. This time WB worked just fine even on limited accounts. A bit more effort than ODNT applications normally need but all's well now.
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godskin
Reply #2 Wednesday, November 23, 2005 8:39 AM
Reply #2 Wednesday, November 23, 2005 8:39 AM
> Of course giving everyone admin rights isn't a good thing
> so I changed them back to limited users and tried changing skins.
> This time WB worked just fine even on limited accounts.
Yes, at this time my WB works fine.
But after rebooting Windows, old classic theme is back and the 'apply changes' in WB is invalid.
Windows XP Professional SP2
1 administrator and 1 limited user accounts
WindowBlinds 5 Beta
> so I changed them back to limited users and tried changing skins.
> This time WB worked just fine even on limited accounts.
Yes, at this time my WB works fine.
But after rebooting Windows, old classic theme is back and the 'apply changes' in WB is invalid.
Windows XP Professional SP2
1 administrator and 1 limited user accounts
WindowBlinds 5 Beta
keldorr
Reply #3 Saturday, November 26, 2005 1:11 PM
Reply #3 Saturday, November 26, 2005 1:11 PM
Unfortunately this did not work for me either.
I still have the problem where the "other user" (the one the application was not installed under) can't use Windowblinds. The application will launch when the exe file is opened, but it can't find any loaded skins.
Oh well, c'est la vie.
I still have the problem where the "other user" (the one the application was not installed under) can't use Windowblinds. The application will launch when the exe file is opened, but it can't find any loaded skins.
Oh well, c'est la vie.
Neil Banfield
Reply #4 Saturday, November 26, 2005 1:23 PM
Reply #4 Saturday, November 26, 2005 1:23 PM
godskin: Are you using beta2 by any chance?
godskin
Reply #5 Sunday, November 27, 2005 4:34 PM
Reply #5 Sunday, November 27, 2005 4:34 PM
Gave up, removed! It spent me too much time. 
Thank you all.
Thank you all.
Chef Garry
Reply #7 Tuesday, December 6, 2005 5:17 PM
Reply #7 Tuesday, December 6, 2005 5:17 PM
Well unfortunately it hasn't stayed fixed. Whether it's the latest build (downloaded today) or something else, the above mentioned fix hasn't stuck. In fact, once I switched a user to classic skin to see what would happen and even the native XP skin won't load.
This is an issue that I really would like to see some progress on.
This is an issue that I really would like to see some progress on.
Neil Banfield
Reply #8 Tuesday, December 6, 2005 6:09 PM
Reply #8 Tuesday, December 6, 2005 6:09 PM
Do the other users have full access to the WindowBlinds directory?
Chef Garry
Reply #9 Tuesday, December 6, 2005 10:01 PM
Reply #9 Tuesday, December 6, 2005 10:01 PM
Thanks Neil. Yeah they can access the directory but aren't allowed to open anything. If I run them as admin, they can access wbconfig. However, applying a skin gives me the loading dialogue for about the right amount of time but noting actually changes.
In the interm, I rolled back to 4.6. Limited users can change skins if they go through display properties but not using wbconfig. Something got screwed up in the rollback. sigh
In the interm, I rolled back to 4.6. Limited users can change skins if they go through display properties but not using wbconfig. Something got screwed up in the rollback. sigh
Neil Banfield
Reply #10 Wednesday, December 7, 2005 5:04 AM
Reply #10 Wednesday, December 7, 2005 5:04 AM
Chef Garry: You ran wbconfig as a different user under their account, or granted their user admin rights?
Chef Garry
Reply #11 Wednesday, December 7, 2005 8:26 AM
Reply #11 Wednesday, December 7, 2005 8:26 AM
I tried both. Initially, I tried a "run-as" in the limited account using my admin logon. Then I tried giving the limited user admin rights. In both cases the results were as described. Even rebooting with the user settings as admin didn't change the situation.
Neil Banfield
Reply #12 Wednesday, December 7, 2005 8:47 AM
Reply #12 Wednesday, December 7, 2005 8:47 AM
A runas would not have worked as Wbconfig would have been modifying your registry settings & probably changed the skin on your desktop if you were logged in!
Chef Garry
Reply #13 Thursday, December 8, 2005 9:06 AM
Reply #13 Thursday, December 8, 2005 9:06 AM
It remains that other users cannot change skins, even when given admin rights to the machine. The run-as was only one attempt to make wbconfig work on their accounts.
Bichur
Reply #14 Thursday, December 8, 2005 9:18 AM
Reply #14 Thursday, December 8, 2005 9:18 AM
just curious tjesterb posted this in may on one of the threads and i saved it to try later incase i needed to:
does this work?
| #4 by tjesterb Wed, May 18, 2005 8:33 PM Reply Quote Watch [tjesterb] Finally got it! FOr anyone else who may have the same problem, here is the fix. In the Windoblinds folder is a userpermissions text. Open a command line (Start>run>type cmd) change to your Windowblinds directory (cd C:\program files\stardock\object desktop\windowblinds) and type in the userpermissions text: CACLS.EXE . /E /T /G USERS:F This will run the batch file that give users in limited accounts access to install and change WB skins. The kids think I'm cool again......should last for about 10 minutes |
does this work?
Chef Garry
Reply #15 Thursday, December 8, 2005 12:04 PM
Reply #15 Thursday, December 8, 2005 12:04 PM
Thanks Bichur but unfortunately no. In the security tab for properties in my account, everyone has full permissions (except creator/owner which seems weird). However, in properties in the limited user accounts, they read permission only. It would seem this is connected to the problem.
zaphman
Reply #16 Sunday, December 11, 2005 8:03 AM
Reply #16 Sunday, December 11, 2005 8:03 AM
Make sure to reset the permissions as well. First make sure you untick the "Use simple file sharing (Recommended)" available from Explorer->Tools->Folder Options->Advanced. You may need to reboot.
Now, a new plethoria of permission options may be set per file, and folder. In the security tab for the WB folder set desiered permissions (Users should have "Modify" rights). Then use Advanced and check the "Replace permission on all child objects..."
I need to to this every time WB is updated. Stardock, do not reset file permissions when new files are copied, or make sure the coping do not conflict with permissions already set! An admin do not like to see their settings be replaced over and over... this should be an an easy fix
Now, a new plethoria of permission options may be set per file, and folder. In the security tab for the WB folder set desiered permissions (Users should have "Modify" rights). Then use Advanced and check the "Replace permission on all child objects..."
I need to to this every time WB is updated. Stardock, do not reset file permissions when new files are copied, or make sure the coping do not conflict with permissions already set! An admin do not like to see their settings be replaced over and over... this should be an an easy fix
Chef Garry
Reply #17 Sunday, December 11, 2005 10:33 AM
Reply #17 Sunday, December 11, 2005 10:33 AM
I'd forgotten about the simple file sharing thing. Thanks, I'll give it a go later. This problem hasn't occured before version 5. It's not good to hear this needs to be done with every update either. In fact, I'm thinking I'll just leave it at 4.6 for a bit. I agree that this shouldn't be necessary but it does explain why my previous fix didn't stick.
FWIW, I also got the explorer crash issue until I rolled back to 4.6. I have a lot of respect for Stardock and will continue to use ODNT but WB 5.0 has caused more issues for more people than any product they've put out in the 4 years I've been using them.
FWIW, I also got the explorer crash issue until I rolled back to 4.6. I have a lot of respect for Stardock and will continue to use ODNT but WB 5.0 has caused more issues for more people than any product they've put out in the 4 years I've been using them.
DocX
Reply #18 Tuesday, December 13, 2005 10:07 AM
Reply #18 Tuesday, December 13, 2005 10:07 AM
Ya every time I install WB5 i go to log on to another user account (admin account) and it loads so slow I have to hard reboot to get out of it. Cant do anything on the other desktops but wait for over a hour for it to load. Im just running 4.6 too now. Stardock emailed me back 5 days ago that they got my email about my problem and I have a ticket number and thats the last Ive heard from them....Bad customer service.
Chef Garry
Reply #19 Tuesday, December 13, 2005 5:13 PM
Reply #19 Tuesday, December 13, 2005 5:13 PM
Zaphman - that appeared to do it. 
Thanks! I hope Stardock can fix this issue so it doesn't need to be reset each time. 
Thanks! I hope Stardock can fix this issue so it doesn't need to be reset each time. 
zaphman
Reply #20 Tuesday, December 13, 2005 6:12 PM
Reply #20 Tuesday, December 13, 2005 6:12 PM
Great. Glad to be able to help 
Actually a see a `UserPermissions.txt' file in the WB folder when I look in my installation. I think Stardock tries to check for the appearance of this file. In my installation this file is dated 2004-09-27 (WB version prehistoric) so it may be that this ``check'' is not valid for WB5 . Anyway, it seams as somebody has done some thinking regarding permissions, even if it was ``yeasterday''.
So, again a I say to Stardock. The product is great! Just make our multi-user systems, where we don't want to be an Administator all the time, happy as well.
Actually a see a `UserPermissions.txt' file in the WB folder when I look in my installation. I think Stardock tries to check for the appearance of this file. In my installation this file is dated 2004-09-27 (WB version prehistoric) so it may be that this ``check'' is not valid for WB5
. Anyway, it seams as somebody has done some thinking regarding permissions, even if it was ``yeasterday''.So, again a I say to Stardock. The product is great! Just make our multi-user systems, where we don't want to be an Administator all the time, happy as well.
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Reply #1 Thursday, November 10, 2005 10:29 AM
WindowBlinds 5 Beta has not yet been given official multi-user support, but there are known workarounds to give it this functionality. Thank you for sharing your method to achieve this feature.
-Mike
[Stardock Support]