Workaround Admin Rights to play AOM

Can anyone tell me where I'm going wrong ? On the Tec support web site for Age Of Mythology there's a workaround to allow limited account users to play the game. See here:-http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=kb;en-us;893677
I've tried this but it does not seem to work. Where is says username I have put in my own name as I am the administrator on the PC. Is there something else I need to edit?

Has anyone got this short cut to work with any of the other games that are included in the list ? These include, microsoft flight simulator, age of empires, halo and zoo tycoon. Anyone ????

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by NEONKNIGHT

Can anyone tell me where I'm going wrong ? On the Tec support web site for Age Of Mythology there's a workaround to allow limited account users to play the game. See here:-http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=kb;en-us;893677
I've tried this but it does not seem to work. Where is says username I have put in my own name as I am the administrator on the PC. Is there something else I need to edit?

Run "cmd.exe" from Start menu run button.
Type in the runas command from that article.

What errors do you get?

Originally Posted by Stuart C

Run "cmd.exe" from Start menu run button.
Type in the runas command from that article.

What errors do you get?

This is what it comes up with when I try it on the Limited users account:-

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Phil>runas /savecred /LIVINGROOM /user:Andy " path to
game .exe "
RUNAS USAGE:

RUNAS [ [/noprofile | /profile] [/env] [/netonly] ]
/user:<UserName> program

RUNAS [ [/noprofile | /profile] [/env] [/netonly] ]
/smartcard [/user:<UserName>] program

/noprofile specifies that the user's profile should not be loaded.
This causes the application to load more quickly, but
can cause some applications to malfunction.
/profile specifies that the user's profile should be loaded.
This is the default.
/env to use current environment instead of user's.
/netonly use if the credentials specified are for remote
access only.
/savecred to use credentials previously saved by the user.
This option is not available on Windows XP Home Edition
and will be ignored.
/smartcard use if the credentials are to be supplied from a
smartcard.
/user <UserName> should be in form USER@DOMAIN or DOMAIN\USER
program command line for EXE. See below for examples

Examples:
> runas /noprofile /user:mymachine\administrator cmd
> runas /profile /env /user:mydomain\admin "mmc %windir%\system32\dsa.msc"
> runas /env /user:user@domain.microsoft.com "notepad \"my file.txt\""

NOTE: Enter user's password only when prompted.
NOTE: USER@DOMAIN is not compatible with /netonly.
NOTE: /profile is not compatible with /netonly.

C:\Documents and Settings\Phil>

[Mauldor]

Is it not easier just Creating a Shortcut for the game, do Properties, Advanced, run with Different Credential which is the same thing as RUNAS I am sure..

Originally Posted by Mauldor

Is it not easier just Creating a Shortcut for the game, do Properties, Advanced, run with Different Credential which is the same thing as RUNAS I am sure..

The problem with that is the Limited User has to know the Administrator Password, which is a big No, No. Thanks anyway.

[Mauldor]

My point been, does it not store the Password? As in you Set it up and they play? I'll have a look into it later for you, create myself a Limited user type thing and see what happens.

Originally Posted by Mauldor

My point been, does it not store the Password? As in you Set it up and they play? I'll have a look into it later for you, create myself a Limited user type thing and see what happens.

As far as I'm aware it does not store the password. I'm beginning to wonder if the short cut link only applies to people with XP Professional, were as I've got XP Home Edition.

[zoombini]

As this applies to so many other games it would be interesting to know the outcome.

Perhaps the password could be hidden in a file somewhere & passed to it as a parameter?

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by NEONKNIGHT

As far as I'm aware it does not store the password. I'm beginning to wonder if the short cut link only applies to people with XP Professional, were as I've got XP Home Edition.

runas should work in both.

Also.bear in mind that by default, XP gives everyone administrator access (which, from a security point of view, is a nightmare), so unless you have deliberately altered your accounts, they may well be administrators already.
__________________

Originally Posted by NEONKNIGHT

This is what it comes up with when I try it on the Limited users account:-

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Phil>runas /savecred /LIVINGROOM /user:Andy " path to
game .exe "
RUNAS USAGE:

RUNAS [ [/noprofile | /profile] [/env] [/netonly] ]
/user:<UserName> program

RUNAS [ [/noprofile | /profile] [/env] [/netonly] ]
/smartcard [/user:<UserName>] program

/noprofile specifies that the user's profile should not be loaded.
This causes the application to load more quickly, but
can cause some applications to malfunction.
/profile specifies that the user's profile should be loaded.
This is the default.
/env to use current environment instead of user's.
/netonly use if the credentials specified are for remote
access only.
/savecred to use credentials previously saved by the user.
This option is not available on Windows XP Home Edition
and will be ignored.
/smartcard use if the credentials are to be supplied from a
smartcard.
/user <UserName> should be in form USER@DOMAIN or DOMAIN\USER
program command line for EXE. See below for examples

Examples:
> runas /noprofile /user:mymachine\administrator cmd
> runas /profile /env /user:mydomain\admin "mmc %windir%\system32\dsa.msc"
> runas /env /user:user@domain.microsoft.com "notepad \"my file.txt\""

NOTE: Enter user's password only when prompted.
NOTE: USER@DOMAIN is not compatible with /netonly.
NOTE: /profile is not compatible with /netonly.

C:\Documents and Settings\Phil>

Runas is objecting to the "/LIVINGROOM" parameter. What is this? If it's a parameter for the game, try putting the game.exe in quotes and parameters after it. EG "game.exe /LIVINGROOM".

[Mauldor]

The Problem is in fact the XP Home version, On Home it does not have /SAVECRED which saves the Password you typed in for further use later - this is included in XP Pro of course. The Same effect in fact of connecting to a Shared Drive, on Pro it asks for Login Box then give you the option to Save this Infomation where as Home is Missing that Save part.

I have tried both the RunAS command line and the RunAs from the short cut and each time the user was asked what to login with on the Home Edition where as the Pro Edition did not once I had typed it in once.

Now there is a Security Loophole with /SAVECRED anyhow, once you have set up the shortcut and typed in your password, that same person can run ANY Command as Administrator just by using the RUNAS /savecred /user:administrator CMD although I am sure the person who you want to run the game is not as clued up as this anyhow.

Thanks for the help and suggestions everyone. Think the problem is as Mauldor has pointed out with the inconsistancies between xp pro and xp home.