One of the things I love about my Linux machine is that I can logon as a restricted user and whenever there is an application that needs administrative previllages, it prompts me for the root password. While Windows requires logging in as an administrative user to do all this.
However, there is a trick that Windows users can use to run programs as a different user. This helps in the security of your machine. Your Windows can’t be compromised much if you are logged in as a restricted user.
So here’s the trick. Create a shortcut of the program you want to run as a different user, right click it and go to properties. In shortcut tab, go to advanced and check “Run with different credentials”. Now whenever you run the shortcut, it will ask you with which user you want to run this application.
Note: Running programs as a different user requires RunAs service in Windows 2000 and Secondary Logon service in Windows XP to be started. To start those services, run services.msc and start these services.
Run Programs as different user in Windows – RunAs
by
Comments
3 responses to “Run Programs as different user in Windows – RunAs”
What about Vista?
You can only run an application as an administrator. The problem is that this is the local administrator, not the domain administrator.
Does someone know how to run an application in Vista with other credentials other then the local administrator?
I don’t have “Run with different credentials”, I have only “Run as administrator”, any ideas?
In Vista/Win7, if you just right click, your only option is “Run As Administrator”. However, if you Ctrl-Shift Right-Click, you will get an additional option called “Run As Different User”. Select that, and you will be able to specify credentials.