[RESOLVED] Administrator versus Standard Windows 7 - Virtual Dr Forums-Computer Tech Support

**buf** · #1 January 28th, 2010, 08:44 PM

I have always had myself as Administrator since beginning to use windows 7. I have been reading about the importance of running as Standard because of added security reasons. This afternoon I set myself up as Standard and later ran windows update,(and the 1-27-10 updates posted without a problem---http://discussions.virtualdr.com/showthread.php?t=243353&goto=newpost) rebooted and computer booted back to the default screen. The default screen goes back to day one when I first started using win 7 which was preinstalled in the new PC I bought in October 09. The default screen would not have been so scary except I have been using the Classic Start Menu for a couple of weeks. (Like it much better than the default win 7 offering) I would like to run Standard rather than Administrator but not if I can't use the Classic setting I have gotten used to. Is there a simple way to do that?
Of course I keep all of my security apps updated and run. Is that sufficient protection if I continue using Administrator as my choice? No one else uses my computer--no one.
As usual, TIA.

**DVOM** · #2 January 28th, 2010, 11:42 PM

buf, whenever you boot to a new user account, it boots to all the default settings. Every user has to individually be manually setup with any non-default settings.

So set your new user to use the classic start menu and you should be good to go.

**SuperSparks** · #3 January 29th, 2010, 09:55 AM

The whole point of having user accounts is so the each user can have his or her own settings. Therefore each new account that is created will start afresh, as it were.

**buf** · #4 January 29th, 2010, 11:29 AM

DVOM and Nick, thanks for your reply and your answers were pretty much what I thought. No further questions and again, I thank you. (am going to check my options for Standard and if I can designate Classic Start then I should be happy. I don't recall seeing that when set up as Standard. I do get both the Standard and Administrator icons when booting up and I do have my installed programs listed when opening Standard)

**HAN** · #5 January 29th, 2010, 03:48 PM

You should indeed try as much as possible to use a non-Admin account when doing anything involved with the internet. The possibility of virus/worm/trojan infections are notably lower. When I fired up my new Win 7 netbook, one of the first things I did was create a Standard User account.

**JPnyc** · #6 January 30th, 2010, 08:53 AM

It's really unfortunate that there is no facility for merely copying the user account and all its settings, and then just change it to a standard account. It would discourage fewer people I think from using/creating a standard account to surf with.

**SuperSparks** · #7 January 30th, 2010, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JPnyc

It's really unfortunate that there is no facility for merely copying the user account and all its settings, and then just change it to a standard account. It would discourage fewer people I think from using/creating a standard account to surf with.

I was thinking about that myself, and it occurs to me that there is no reason at all why you couldn't use Windows Easy Transfer to do that.

**buf** · #8 January 30th, 2010, 01:03 PM

I hear what you are saying and I wholeheartedly agree. I am also listening for your "how to", if it is possible as I would much prefer Standard. I will not go through the hoops again like I had to do originally. I keep all of my apps. updated so, hypothetically, I am protected by using Administrator; so I have read on blogs.

**JPnyc** · #9 January 30th, 2010, 04:19 PM

Anybody ever tried? I've never used it. I'm thinking about downloading it just for this.

**JPnyc** · #10 January 30th, 2010, 04:21 PM

I just found out it's a native feature in windows seven as well as vista.

**SuperSparks** · #11 January 30th, 2010, 04:33 PM

I've used it several times, and it works beautifully

I've never used it just for transferring account settings, but I can't see any reason why it wouldn't work.

**JPnyc** · #12 January 30th, 2010, 04:47 PM

I'm sure it would but it was going to take much too long to find out. I'll run it overnight.

**SuperSparks** · #13 January 30th, 2010, 04:54 PM

Aha, you are doing it wrong JP. After it's scanned, which should only take a few seconds, click "Customise" under your account. Basically you need to deselect everything except "Windows Settings", then you should end up with a file that is a couple of hundred megs or so. That should take just a few minutes to back up - it took me about 10 or 15 minutes last time I did it.

**JPnyc** · #14 January 31st, 2010, 11:33 AM

But I'm wondering exactly what I will need. For instance, user application data? Will the new user have access to the old user document files? I suppose it's not that hard to just try it and find out.

**SuperSparks** · #15 January 31st, 2010, 11:48 AM

The best thing to do with things like document files is to put them on a separate volume to Windows, and then point both accounts to the same files. That way you don't need to worry about which is the latest version of a document and all that. I always keep my data on a separate drive anyway, because it makes things a bit safer if disaster strikes and Windows needs reinstalling.