RunAs error

[Guest Scott]

Hi all

 

 

 

Our users have restricted domain user accounts (i.e. no admin rights). So

 

we use the Run As command from time-to-time for admin tasks, such as running

 

a defrag. However, since we upgraded from Windows XP SP2 to Windows XP SP3

 

with all critical hotfixes upto 25-March-2010, logon as a standard domain

 

user & execute the Run As command, we get the error "windows cannot access

 

the specified device, path, or file. You may not have the appropriate

 

permissions to access the item". We can logon as an admin, right-click any

 

EXE file & Run As fine but this defeats the object & is unnecessary, although

 

it suggests it's a permissions issue.

 

 

 

We have uninstalled IE8 and Run As works fine for standard domain users but

 

it's not a practical solution because our company needs IE8 for various

 

reasons. It seems the Run As command is reliant on Internet Explorer. Is it

 

anything to do with the "enable memory protection to mitigate online attacks"

 

option in IE8's Advanced settings? We've searched but cannot find any

 

related Group Policy setting(s) to disable this option.

 

 

 

We then looked at the Data Execution Protection (DEP) settings in 'Control

 

Panel > System > Advanced > Performance Settings'. We changed the DEP

 

setting from "Turn on DEP for essential Windows programs and services only"

 

to "Turn on DEP for all programs and services except those I select:",

 

rebooted when prompted and Run As now works fine for standard domain users.

 

But we are concerned this will cause problems down the line so want to avoid

 

changing the default DEP setting and even if we did we would need to find a

 

way to automate this change on 1500+ machines (reg key or GPO?).

 

 

 

Has anyone else encountered this Run As problem and overcome it, if so, how

 

please?

 

 

 

Thanks

 

Scott