I have a directory of applications that execute with no problems when I
am a user/administrator but all fail immediately with "the application
failed to initialize properly" when run as the local administrator.

What is the problem?

How can one inspect the two different environments the programs execute
within?

I am new to XP and having problems. Thanks.

andy wrote:

> I have a directory of applications that execute with no problems when
> I am a user/administrator but all fail immediately with "the
> application failed to initialize properly" when run as the local
> administrator.
>
> What is the problem?
>
> How can one inspect the two different environments the programs
> execute within?
>
> I am new to XP and having problems. Thanks.

This is common with applications that were written for older operating
systems that didn't understand NT permissions (Win9x/ME) or were
written by arrogant companies like Intuit that refuse to change their
code to work with XP.

You can try Runas, but the best way is to go to the programs' websites
and look for patches, workarounds, updates. Sometimes you will need to
update your program to one that was designed for XP. Sometimes you will
need to contact the program's tech support people to see what folders
and registry entries have permissions that need to be changed.
Sometimes you'll need to use a different program entirely or decide to
lower your security to use the old software. I know what my choice
would be in that instance, but only you can make that decision.

Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

Thanks for the response. The package I am trying to fix (uwin from
AT&T) installs cleanly on other machines running Windows except the one
I need to use.

I can see the permissions on the executable and they are OK (it took me
2 hours with google to find out how to get the file manager to show me
the permissions but I got there in the end). What is probably not OK
are the permissions on the dll libraries. How do I find out what dll
files are used by the executable and how do I find the order the
directories are searched for the dlls (if XP does it that way).

andy wrote:

> Thanks for the response. The package I am trying to fix (uwin from
> AT&T) installs cleanly on other machines running Windows except the
> one I need to use.
>
> I can see the permissions on the executable and they are OK (it took
> me 2 hours with google to find out how to get the file manager to show
> me the permissions but I got there in the end). What is probably not
> OK are the permissions on the dll libraries. How do I find out what
> dll files are used by the executable and how do I find the order the
> directories are searched for the dlls (if XP does it that way).

You could use FileMon and/or Process Explorer from Systernals (free) on
one of the machines where the program works.

http://www.sysinternals.com/Processe...Utilities.html

Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User