I have set our computers up with a limited account on for our basic users, this works fine except for when they want to defrag the machine, they cant because the security will not let them. How can I get around this without unlocking the limited account?

I wouldn't bother, "defrag" is kinda like an old dog that still hangs around, but doesn't do much of anything.

With the older (slower and smaller) computers, defrag actually would make a minimal performance difference.

Nowadays, it's mostly a waste of time.

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Fair comment...

But if I wanted to, how would I do it?

Not sure I agree with Martin's comments. I am amazed at how quickly drives are fragmented in XP.
On the commercial network I administrate, 352 servers & 3246 workstations we wrote a script which placed a shortcut on the user's desktop,(put it in the ALL USERS profile) & it works fine.

Bob Mitchell.

I'm a W98 user so I'm probably talking out of my
"you know what".

I just wondered if it is possible on XP to for the administrator to create a shortcut to defrag, then copy it over to the desktops of the limited users....or some such thing.

Derek.W

I can get to and start up Defrag as a limited user but when you try to run the defrag it says that you dont have permission

Spoke to XP type today and yes I was off beam in #4. Apparently that function will be excluded by the registry.

Sorry, hope someone can help you.

Derek.W

You need to know user rights. I nwindows explorer click tool folder option, uncheck simple sharing at the bottom. Now when you right click shortcuts of programs you will be able to set user rights by clicking the security tab .

Files have three options read ,write execute logically if you can;t read a file you can't execute it and so on.

Windows has three main types of users, aministrator, power user, and plain old user, which is probably what they are.

You must set the options for users for that particular program to full control, you may set it different to work if you know what you are doing from here. Waring this may only work in XP pro not home but not sure. there must be a way in home too!

The thought that windows writes to a hdd efficently is absurd. Windows not matter which one writes to the hard drive like crap.

Linuxs' (different operating system) ext3 or resier file systems are the only ones capable of this.

I suggest getting a disk defragementer from elsewhere, like diskeeper, it has a set it and forget it option and it defrags quick.

P.s you could also right click the .exe file of the program you wish to set user rights to not just the shortcut.

You shoud post your full operating system.

If you don't know how read the how to on the left of the screen.

http://computing.net/howto/simple/findver/

The defrag program used by Micro$oft is actually a "Defrag Lite" version of a commerically available application. They bought the rights to it over a decade ago and still include it with their OS releases.

Defragging is less important on an NTTS partitioned disk as opposed to the older FAT32 partitioned disks, nevertheless it does improve performance to defrag a heavily fragmented drive. The absolute best and fastest way to do this is to copy the drive to a freshly formated and partitioned drive and set this as the boot drive, keeping the old one as a backup (then reformating that one & transfering back when the new one becomes equally fragmented). With the new SATA drives this isn't that hard, otherwise you have to muck around with jumper settings and drive cables.

With the older, smaller drives Defrag wasn't a bother: today with 100MB+ drives it becomes a real chore. What you want to do is go in as Administrator and set up a scheduled event to Scandisk and then shortly afterwards Defrag the hard drive. About once a week is usually often enough and schedule it for late evening, after everyone has gone home. Have them log off but not shutdown their machines so the scheduler will keep running in background.

Hi
hopefully some one can expand further in this as im just geting my head round admin templates, however, you can set a adm. template in xp for 'users' which is set as a gpo group policy,
ok im not sure how this is done can only point you there, for now

run type gpedit.msc

under user config , admin templates
windows components / res/perm snapins, defrag is an option there.
right click defrag/ properties enable/disable etc
how you apply a template may be some one else can answer

the other option is to use cacles command ,
thats opening up issues.
bit part answers sry.

regards