mobo utility programs

[FWSIV]

Just finished a new build using an MSI K8N Neo4 Platinum motherboard and XP home SP2. Is there any way to disable the mobo utility programs (ie DigiCell and Core Center) from trying to install on all user accounts. When logged on as the administrator the programs boot and are accessible. But if a limited user logs on, these programs try to boot unsuccessfully and give popup windows stating this and require acknowledgment. This is just an inconvenience more than anything else.

[Statica]

How is it loading up? As a startup item? or a Service? You have a variety of options here. You could just try deleting it from the Run registry area and use it in the startup folder for your personal profile.
This is more an issue of badly coded programs than of Windows user rights. If a program is indeed starting from the registry or a service, it should not have an issue with user permissions. If it is running from the common startup folder, then you can just remove it and put it in your (or admin) startup folder.

[FWSIV]

It seems that it's a startup item. The programs that are loading give the user the ability to change/modify the motherboard settings, and I'm guessing that a limited user account should not be able to play with these settings. So, logged in as an administrator, should I delete these items from all the startup folders for the limited users and leave them in the admin startup folder. Could these be located in a shared folder? I'm new to XP and all the different user accounts. It seems that certain things can be changed/modified that only happen in the individual account, whereas other changes/modifications are global.

What's a 'service'?

[Statica]

Originally Posted by FWSIV It seems that it's a startup item. The programs that are loading give the user the ability to change/modify the motherboard settings, and I'm guessing that a limited user account should not be able to play with these settings. So, logged in as an administrator, should I delete these items from all the startup folders for the limited users and leave them in the admin startup folder. Could these be located in a shared folder? I'm new to XP and all the different user accounts. It seems that certain things can be changed/modified that only happen in the individual account, whereas other changes/modifications are global.

If it is in the start up folder here's the quick and dirty about Start up folders on XP ..
there are basically 2 kinds of startup folders (and start menus). One is the individual startup folder; the other being a common start folder (and start menus).
Open Windows explorer and go to C:\Documents and Settings (assuming that XP is installed in C drive). You should now see a few folders that go by "All Users" and various other usernames on your computer. Now go to C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup .. is the program shortcut there? If so, cut it (press CTRL+X) .. then go to C:\Documents and Settings\FWSIV\Start Menu\Programs\Startup .. now paste it in there. (assuming the username you are using with admin rights is FWSIV)
What it does is to run the program only when you log in; not when anyone logs in. The same logic works for the start menu. If there is a program you dont want another person to "see" you just remove it from the All Users\Start Menu and move it to your user start menu.

Also note that some programs will not use All Users, but might try to put in a shortcut in each and every user's startup folder. In that case just go to C:\Documents and Settings\Bob\Start Menu\Programs\Startup and just delete or move the shortcut out of there (assuming bob is the person you dont want running the program).

What's a 'service'?

Again, NT based OS' like XP, use a variety of ways to start up a program when your computer boots up. The most simplistic way is to shove a shortcut into the startup folder; this starts it when a person logs in. The second way is to put it in the registry (the Run key); and finally there are "Services" which, essentially are system critical programs that need to startup before your computer displays the familiar Windows desktop. (details here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daemon_...er_software%29)

[FWSIV]

[QUOTE=Statica]If it is in the start up folder here's the quick and dirty about Start up folders on XP ..
there are basically 2 kinds of startup folders (and start menus). One is the individual startup folder; the other being a common start folder (and start menus).
Open Windows explorer and go to C:\Documents and Settings (assuming that XP is installed in C drive). You should now see a few folders that go by "All Users" and various other usernames on your computer. Now go to C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup .. is the program shortcut there? If so, cut it (press CTRL+X) .. then go to C:\Documents and Settings\FWSIV\Start Menu\Programs\Startup .. now paste it in there. (assuming the username you are using with admin rights is FWSIV)



This solved some of the issues-
In this location- C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup- I was able to remove two shortcuts from this folder and place them in the admin startup folder. This removed some of the programs from starting in the other users accounts, but I still have some additional programs that are still loading.

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\MSI
In the MSI folder there are several more shortcuts that still seem to be loading (as stated above). Associated with each shortcut is an uninstall shortcut icon. Again, if a limited user cannot access this program due to lack of rights, should I uninstall the icon?, or place the entire MSI folder in C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs?





Also note that some programs will not use All Users, but might try to put in a shortcut in each and every user's startup folder. In that case just go to C:\Documents and Settings\Bob\Start Menu\Programs\Startup and just delete or move the shortcut out of there (assuming bob is the person you dont want running the program).

This did not seem to be the case. I appears to be in the All User folder.

[Statica]

If you are confident that all the shortcuts from the Common startup area have been removed; then you are likely going to have to see what you can do about registry startups (read my post about 3 ways a program automatically starts up). To check for it go to START > RUN and type msconfig Now click on the Startup tab; it might be a bit cryptic, but you should be able to see the programs that startup with your OS. If you find the program that startsup check to see the location; if it is in the "Common Startup" it means that its from the startup folder of the start menu. If its in a registry location; then you might have to manually remove it and then try to create a shortcut just for your startup location. It's not too hard.

Regarding "Uninstalling the Icon"; there is no such thing as Uninstalling the icon; if you click it .. it will uninstall the program. What you can do is move teh Entire MSI folder to the administrator's start menu instead. That way any other user should not see it. Keep in mind that ONLY those entries in the startup folder get started automatically; program entries from any other folder, like the MSI folder will not get started at boot.

[FWSIV]

Problem solved. I moved the MSI folder and another folder, Nvidia, over to the admin startup. This did the trick.

Thanks for all your help and patience.