Vista - Administrator and "invisible doors"

I am new to VISTA. As I try to move around in my PC I discover many folders
are missing things I know are there. I can open the folder as Administrator
and the missing items appear! I try to open applications and I'm told I need
permission from the Administrator (ME!) to continue.

This maze of false doors and blocked passageways is driving me nuts. How can
I simply use everything in my PC again and not have this goofy and constant
interruption to everything I do? Security is one thing, but this is way over
the top!

a lot of the usual folders are moved under USERS and your user name.



mikeyhsd@comcast.net



"Michael in Columbus Ohio" <MichaelinColumbusOhio@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:311E1C61-8C2A-4785-B0B0-E41EC472E1D7@microsoft.com...
I am new to VISTA. As I try to move around in my PC I discover many folders
are missing things I know are there. I can open the folder as Administrator
and the missing items appear! I try to open applications and I'm told I need
permission from the Administrator (ME!) to continue.

This maze of false doors and blocked passageways is driving me nuts. How can
I simply use everything in my PC again and not have this goofy and constant
interruption to everything I do? Security is one thing, but this is way over
the top!

To gain full control of your computer you must disable UAC.

1. Click Start
2. Control Panel
3. User Accounts
4. Make changes to your User Account
5.Turn User Account control on or off
6. Uncheck the box...Use User account control (UAC) to help protect your
computer.
7. Click OK button

Thats it. Now you have control of your computer.

NEXT... to keep from logging in every time you turn on the computer,

Still in control panel...
1. Click Parental Controls
2. At the computer Administrator icon click to remove password or (no
password).

Here's a good explanation of UAC and the new security features in Vista.

http://www.jimmah.com/vista/Security/uac.aspx

Contrary to some of the other posts I recommend you do not turn off UAC. It
will seriously compromise the security of your computer and it will cause
problems with some programs.

--
Kerry Brown
Microsoft MVP - Shell/User
http://www.vistahelp.ca


"Michael in Columbus Ohio" <MichaelinColumbusOhio@discussions.microsoft.com>
wrote in message news:311E1C61-8C2A-4785-B0B0-E41EC472E1D7@microsoft.com...
>I am new to VISTA. As I try to move around in my PC I discover many folders
> are missing things I know are there. I can open the folder as
> Administrator
> and the missing items appear! I try to open applications and I'm told I
> need
> permission from the Administrator (ME!) to continue.
>
> This maze of false doors and blocked passageways is driving me nuts. How
> can
> I simply use everything in my PC again and not have this goofy and
> constant
> interruption to everything I do? Security is one thing, but this is way
> over
> the top!

Thank you, Paul.

I read some of the material suggested by Kerry. I am not convinced such
drachonian controls are required in my situation. I live alone and I am the
only person who will ever use the computer.

The only security issues I have are through the Internet. I don't want other
people using my PC or stealing my information.

If I disable UAC, will I lose access to the things that are currently in the
Administrator's private collection? I'll let you know in a little while!

"Paul" wrote:

> To gain full control of your computer you must disable UAC.
>
> 1. Click Start
> 2. Control Panel
> 3. User Accounts
> 4. Make changes to your User Account
> 5.Turn User Account control on or off
> 6. Uncheck the box...Use User account control (UAC) to help protect your
> computer.
> 7. Click OK button
>
> Thats it. Now you have control of your computer.
>
> NEXT... to keep from logging in every time you turn on the computer,
>
> Still in control panel...
> 1. Click Parental Controls
> 2. At the computer Administrator icon click to remove password or (no
> password).
>
>
>
>

Kerry is right...unfortunately.

I went through the turn off UAC routine. I had to re-boot, and discovered
nothing had actually changed except that UAC was off and I needed to reset it
and do a cold boot. I'm back after the cold boot, Administrator is once again
free to hide things from me and put invisible roadblocks everywhere I want to
go.

If only I had known before I purchased VISTA. This is one awful operating
system. I'm stuck with it. I tried to go back to XP but VISTA won't let me. I
spent close to $500.00 for VISTA Home Premium plus Office Home and Student
2007. The Office purchase was because I was told at Staples that Office
Professional 2003 was incompatible with VISTA.

"Kerry Brown" wrote:

> Here's a good explanation of UAC and the new security features in Vista.
>
> http://www.jimmah.com/vista/Security/uac.aspx
>
> Contrary to some of the other posts I recommend you do not turn off UAC. It
> will seriously compromise the security of your computer and it will cause
> problems with some programs.
>
> --
> Kerry Brown
> Microsoft MVP - Shell/User
> http://www.vistahelp.ca
>
>
> "Michael in Columbus Ohio" <MichaelinColumbusOhio@discussions.microsoft.com>
> wrote in message news:311E1C61-8C2A-4785-B0B0-E41EC472E1D7@microsoft.com...
> >I am new to VISTA. As I try to move around in my PC I discover many folders
> > are missing things I know are there. I can open the folder as
> > Administrator
> > and the missing items appear! I try to open applications and I'm told I
> > need
> > permission from the Administrator (ME!) to continue.
> >
> > This maze of false doors and blocked passageways is driving me nuts. How
> > can
> > I simply use everything in my PC again and not have this goofy and
> > constant
> > interruption to everything I do? Security is one thing, but this is way
> > over
> > the top!
>
>

"Michael in Columbus Ohio" <MichaelinColumbusOhio@discussions.microsoft.com>
wrote in message news:AA051B3C-0A4F-4AD8-85B8-59888F095046@microsoft.com...

> If only I had known before I purchased VISTA. This is one awful operating
> system. I'm stuck with it. I tried to go back to XP but VISTA won't let
> me. I
> spent close to $500.00 for VISTA Home Premium plus Office Home and Student
> 2007. The Office purchase was because I was told at Staples that Office
> Professional 2003 was incompatible with VISTA.

I can't believe you were told that, because I run Office 2003 Professional
here on my Vista Business-powered laptop without any problems.

You were misinformed about Office 2003. It works fine in Vista. You have
also been misinformed about going back to XP. Backup your data, reinstall XP
and your programs, then restore your data. Do you have an XP CD or a set of
manufacturer's restore disks?

--
Kerry Brown
Microsoft MVP - Shell/User
http://www.vistahelp.ca


"Michael in Columbus Ohio" <MichaelinColumbusOhio@discussions.microsoft.com>
wrote in message news:AA051B3C-0A4F-4AD8-85B8-59888F095046@microsoft.com...
> Kerry is right...unfortunately.
>
> I went through the turn off UAC routine. I had to re-boot, and discovered
> nothing had actually changed except that UAC was off and I needed to reset
> it
> and do a cold boot. I'm back after the cold boot, Administrator is once
> again
> free to hide things from me and put invisible roadblocks everywhere I want
> to
> go.
>
> If only I had known before I purchased VISTA. This is one awful operating
> system. I'm stuck with it. I tried to go back to XP but VISTA won't let
> me. I
> spent close to $500.00 for VISTA Home Premium plus Office Home and Student
> 2007. The Office purchase was because I was told at Staples that Office
> Professional 2003 was incompatible with VISTA.
>
> "Kerry Brown" wrote:
>
>> Here's a good explanation of UAC and the new security features in Vista.
>>
>> http://www.jimmah.com/vista/Security/uac.aspx
>>
>> Contrary to some of the other posts I recommend you do not turn off UAC.
>> It
>> will seriously compromise the security of your computer and it will cause
>> problems with some programs.
>>
>> --
>> Kerry Brown
>> Microsoft MVP - Shell/User
>> http://www.vistahelp.ca
>>
>>
>> "Michael in Columbus Ohio"
>> <MichaelinColumbusOhio@discussions.microsoft.com>
>> wrote in message
>> news:311E1C61-8C2A-4785-B0B0-E41EC472E1D7@microsoft.com...
>> >I am new to VISTA. As I try to move around in my PC I discover many
>> >folders
>> > are missing things I know are there. I can open the folder as
>> > Administrator
>> > and the missing items appear! I try to open applications and I'm told I
>> > need
>> > permission from the Administrator (ME!) to continue.
>> >
>> > This maze of false doors and blocked passageways is driving me nuts.
>> > How
>> > can
>> > I simply use everything in my PC again and not have this goofy and
>> > constant
>> > interruption to everything I do? Security is one thing, but this is way
>> > over
>> > the top!
>>
>>

Right again, Kerry. Unfortunately for me, I've made many costly mistakes in
the past few weeks. I have my own copy (legit) of Windows XP Home Edition but
I find now I rather want to make VISTA work for me - or should I say, I want
to adpat to what VISTA has to offer. The store salesman who told me I "had"
to buy the new Office Suite was either dishonest or simply ignorant. I should
have done my homework first.

ROXIO/Sonic Solutions is on my hit list at this time. They sold me Easy
Media Creator 9 in mid January. It worked nicely on XP, but as you know the
Sonic Solutions DLA driver is incompatible with VISTA. ROXIO now advtertises
compatibility with VISTA. This is blatantly dishonest and unethical. I
purchased Easy Media Creator Deluxe 9 in hopes the "new" compatibility with
VISTA would solve my problems. SONIC messed up the order, charged me twice
for the same thing and the product still is no good with VISTA. I'll start by
appealing the double charge at my bank. Whether or not the Ohio State
Attorney General or U.S. Post Office get involved will be determined by any
response I am still waiting for from ROXIO on this matter. They do a great
job of ignoring customers.

"Kerry Brown" wrote:

> You were misinformed about Office 2003. It works fine in Vista. You have
> also been misinformed about going back to XP. Backup your data, reinstall XP
> and your programs, then restore your data. Do you have an XP CD or a set of
> manufacturer's restore disks?
>
> --
> Kerry Brown
> Microsoft MVP - Shell/User
> http://www.vistahelp.ca
>
>
> "Michael in Columbus Ohio" <MichaelinColumbusOhio@discussions.microsoft.com>
> wrote in message news:AA051B3C-0A4F-4AD8-85B8-59888F095046@microsoft.com...
> > Kerry is right...unfortunately.
> >
> > I went through the turn off UAC routine. I had to re-boot, and discovered
> > nothing had actually changed except that UAC was off and I needed to reset
> > it
> > and do a cold boot. I'm back after the cold boot, Administrator is once
> > again
> > free to hide things from me and put invisible roadblocks everywhere I want
> > to
> > go.
> >
> > If only I had known before I purchased VISTA. This is one awful operating
> > system. I'm stuck with it. I tried to go back to XP but VISTA won't let
> > me. I
> > spent close to $500.00 for VISTA Home Premium plus Office Home and Student
> > 2007. The Office purchase was because I was told at Staples that Office
> > Professional 2003 was incompatible with VISTA.
> >
> > "Kerry Brown" wrote:
> >
> >> Here's a good explanation of UAC and the new security features in Vista.
> >>
> >> http://www.jimmah.com/vista/Security/uac.aspx
> >>
> >> Contrary to some of the other posts I recommend you do not turn off UAC.
> >> It
> >> will seriously compromise the security of your computer and it will cause
> >> problems with some programs.
> >>
> >> --
> >> Kerry Brown
> >> Microsoft MVP - Shell/User
> >> http://www.vistahelp.ca
> >>
> >>
> >> "Michael in Columbus Ohio"
> >> <MichaelinColumbusOhio@discussions.microsoft.com>
> >> wrote in message
> >> news:311E1C61-8C2A-4785-B0B0-E41EC472E1D7@microsoft.com...
> >> >I am new to VISTA. As I try to move around in my PC I discover many
> >> >folders
> >> > are missing things I know are there. I can open the folder as
> >> > Administrator
> >> > and the missing items appear! I try to open applications and I'm told I
> >> > need
> >> > permission from the Administrator (ME!) to continue.
> >> >
> >> > This maze of false doors and blocked passageways is driving me nuts.
> >> > How
> >> > can
> >> > I simply use everything in my PC again and not have this goofy and
> >> > constant
> >> > interruption to everything I do? Security is one thing, but this is way
> >> > over
> >> > the top!
> >>
> >>
>
>

I too was disappointed with Easy Media creator 9. It caused me a lot of
grief. Once I uninstalled it a lot of multimedia stuff started working
again.

--
Kerry Brown
Microsoft MVP - Shell/User
http://www.vistahelp.ca


"Michael in Columbus Ohio" <MichaelinColumbusOhio@discussions.microsoft.com>
wrote in message news:6317FA49-BC1B-4628-9063-F580BF357D35@microsoft.com...
> Right again, Kerry. Unfortunately for me, I've made many costly mistakes
> in
> the past few weeks. I have my own copy (legit) of Windows XP Home Edition
> but
> I find now I rather want to make VISTA work for me - or should I say, I
> want
> to adpat to what VISTA has to offer. The store salesman who told me I
> "had"
> to buy the new Office Suite was either dishonest or simply ignorant. I
> should
> have done my homework first.
>
> ROXIO/Sonic Solutions is on my hit list at this time. They sold me Easy
> Media Creator 9 in mid January. It worked nicely on XP, but as you know
> the
> Sonic Solutions DLA driver is incompatible with VISTA. ROXIO now
> advtertises
> compatibility with VISTA. This is blatantly dishonest and unethical. I
> purchased Easy Media Creator Deluxe 9 in hopes the "new" compatibility
> with
> VISTA would solve my problems. SONIC messed up the order, charged me twice
> for the same thing and the product still is no good with VISTA. I'll start
> by
> appealing the double charge at my bank. Whether or not the Ohio State
> Attorney General or U.S. Post Office get involved will be determined by
> any
> response I am still waiting for from ROXIO on this matter. They do a great
> job of ignoring customers.
>
> "Kerry Brown" wrote:
>
>> You were misinformed about Office 2003. It works fine in Vista. You have
>> also been misinformed about going back to XP. Backup your data, reinstall
>> XP
>> and your programs, then restore your data. Do you have an XP CD or a set
>> of
>> manufacturer's restore disks?
>>
>> --
>> Kerry Brown
>> Microsoft MVP - Shell/User
>> http://www.vistahelp.ca
>>
>>
>> "Michael in Columbus Ohio"
>> <MichaelinColumbusOhio@discussions.microsoft.com>
>> wrote in message
>> news:AA051B3C-0A4F-4AD8-85B8-59888F095046@microsoft.com...
>> > Kerry is right...unfortunately.
>> >
>> > I went through the turn off UAC routine. I had to re-boot, and
>> > discovered
>> > nothing had actually changed except that UAC was off and I needed to
>> > reset
>> > it
>> > and do a cold boot. I'm back after the cold boot, Administrator is once
>> > again
>> > free to hide things from me and put invisible roadblocks everywhere I
>> > want
>> > to
>> > go.
>> >
>> > If only I had known before I purchased VISTA. This is one awful
>> > operating
>> > system. I'm stuck with it. I tried to go back to XP but VISTA won't let
>> > me. I
>> > spent close to $500.00 for VISTA Home Premium plus Office Home and
>> > Student
>> > 2007. The Office purchase was because I was told at Staples that Office
>> > Professional 2003 was incompatible with VISTA.
>> >
>> > "Kerry Brown" wrote:
>> >
>> >> Here's a good explanation of UAC and the new security features in
>> >> Vista.
>> >>
>> >> http://www.jimmah.com/vista/Security/uac.aspx
>> >>
>> >> Contrary to some of the other posts I recommend you do not turn off
>> >> UAC.
>> >> It
>> >> will seriously compromise the security of your computer and it will
>> >> cause
>> >> problems with some programs.
>> >>
>> >> --
>> >> Kerry Brown
>> >> Microsoft MVP - Shell/User
>> >> http://www.vistahelp.ca
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> "Michael in Columbus Ohio"
>> >> <MichaelinColumbusOhio@discussions.microsoft.com>
>> >> wrote in message
>> >> news:311E1C61-8C2A-4785-B0B0-E41EC472E1D7@microsoft.com...
>> >> >I am new to VISTA. As I try to move around in my PC I discover many
>> >> >folders
>> >> > are missing things I know are there. I can open the folder as
>> >> > Administrator
>> >> > and the missing items appear! I try to open applications and I'm
>> >> > told I
>> >> > need
>> >> > permission from the Administrator (ME!) to continue.
>> >> >
>> >> > This maze of false doors and blocked passageways is driving me nuts.
>> >> > How
>> >> > can
>> >> > I simply use everything in my PC again and not have this goofy and
>> >> > constant
>> >> > interruption to everything I do? Security is one thing, but this is
>> >> > way
>> >> > over
>> >> > the top!
>> >>
>> >>
>>
>>