A multiuser computer is one that has multiple local user accounts that are configured to support different people logging on to the computer at different times to work, use e-mail, and perform other computing tasks. To resolve service calls involving multiuser computers, you must have a basic understanding of the types of user accounts that you will encounter. You also must have an understanding of how data and applications are shared among the users who log on to the computer. After you learn about user accounts and a little about how multiuser computers work, you will learn how to configure application access on multiuser computers so that all users who access the computer can also access the applications that are installed on it.
Understanding User Accounts
Users who share a computer running Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition or Windows XP Professional Edition are assigned a user account by the administrator of that computer. Each time the user logs on with this personal account, the computer retrieves the desktop settings, personal folders, passwords, Internet and e-mail configurations, and other information for this particular user so that the computer is personalized for the user. Configuring user accounts also serves as a way to keep users’ personal data safe from and inaccessible to other users who log on to the same computer.
The user account type also defines the level of access that the user has while logged on to the computer, such as whether or not she can install software or hardware, create additional user accounts, make permanent changes to the computer, or change passwords.
There are four types of user accounts that you will encounter:
Computer Administrator This user account offers the user complete and unlimited authority to modify the computer in any way at all, including creating, changing, and deleting user accounts; making permanent changes to systemwide settings (such as setting local policies); and installing and uninstalling hardware and software. Local Administrator accounts are configured for standalone computers and computers that are in workgroups and domains.
Standard This type of user account allows the user to install and uninstall software and hardware, and to make changes to the account password and the picture that is associated with the account, which appears on the Windows Welcome screen and on the Start menu when a user is logged on. The standard account can be configured only for computers running Windows XP Professional in a domain environment.
Limited This type of user account allows the user to make changes to his account password and picture, but does not allow him to change computer settings, delete important files, install or uninstall hardware or software, or make changes to system wide settings. These accounts are configured on stand-alone computers and computers that are running in workgroups and domains.
Guest This user account is a built-in account that can be enabled when needed, and allows a user to operate the computer in the same manner as a user with a limited account. Users can log on and check e-mail, browse the Internet, and use applications that are installed on the computer, but can cause no harm to the computer by installing programs or making permanent changes. The Guest account can be enabled on stand-alone computers and those that are running in workgroups and domains.
Using a Shared Computer
Users who share a computer log on by using their personal account. This account can be configured on a single, stand-alone local computer or on a computer that is part of a workgroup or a domain. If a shared computer is a stand-alone computer or a member of a workgroup, users can share data on the computer by moving the data to any of the Shared Documents folders. If the computer is a member of a domain, domain policies override any local settings, and the Shared Documents folders are not available.
Besides sharing data, applications can be shared among the users who log on to the computer. Applications do not need to be installed for each user who has access to the computer.
Configuring Access to Applications
When an administrator installs a program on the computer by using the default settings, other administrators, limited or standard users, and guests who access the computer can use the installed program. The user simply needs to select the program from the All Programs menu. The first time the user opens the application, it either configures itself automatically, or prompts the user to input additional information, such as her e-mail and Internet service provider (ISP) information. Virus scanning programs and other programs that are configured to protect the computer continue to work without additional configuration by users.
If a program is not compatible with Windows XP or was not installed by using the installation defaults (for instance, if the program was installed to a private folder, recovered from the Recycle Bin, or otherwise modified so Windows does not recognize it as a shared application), you can place a shortcut to the application in the Shared Documents folder, and anyone who accesses the computer can then access the program. Other users can also copy that shortcut to their desktop, Start menu, or Quick Launch toolbar.
If users cannot access an application that is installed on a computer running Windows XP, follow these steps:
Log on as an administrator.
Right-click the Start button and choose Explore All Users.
Using Windows Explorer, browse to the application that should be shared.
In the left pane of Windows Explorer, expand the drive on which Windows XP is installed (possibly C), expand Documents And Settings, expand All Users, and locate Shared Documents.
Right-click the application to share in the right pane, and drag its icon to the Shared Documents folder. Click Create Shortcut Here.
Any user who can log on to the computer can access items in the Shared Documents folder. In addition, you can add shortcuts to any user’s desktop by copying a shortcut to the Desktop folder in the user profile for each user who needs access.
Working with Multiple Boot Computers
Multiple boot computers run two or more operating systems, including Windows XP, Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows NT, Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Me; and sometimes even Windows 3.1, MS-DOS, or a third-party operating system. As you gain experience working as a DST, you will see various configurations.
To troubleshoot multiple boot computers, you must be familiar with the three basic file systems, how permissions play a role in users’ access to resources, and how installed programs should be configured.
Understanding Disk Partitions
Disk drives are among the most important resources on any computer. After all, there would not be much point to using a computer if you could not store what you create. A partition is a logical section of a hard disk on which data may be written. Every hard disk must be partitioned before it can be used. Most often, a disk is configured as onebig partition that takes all the space on the disk, but you may also divide a disk into several partitions. When you partition a disk, you decide how much disk space to allocate to each partition.
Some people create separate partitions to help organize their files. For example, you might store the Windows system files and application files on one partition, user documents on another partition, and backup files on yet another partition. Another important reason to use multiple partitions is to be able to isolate operating systems from one another when a computer is configured to run multiple operating systems. While it is technically possible to install some operating systems on the same partition as another operating system, it is never recommended. You should always create a separate partition for each operating system.
Primary A primary partition can be set as the bootable partition. A computer running a Windows operating system can have up to four primary drives (three if you also have an extended partition on the disk). Any primary partition may be configured as the active, or bootable, drive, but only one primary partition can be active at any time. When you are configuring a multiple boot computer, you will create a primary partition for each operating system and then install each operating system onto a different primary partition.
Extended An extended partition provides a way to get around the four primary partition limits. You cannot format an extended partition with any file system. Rather, extended partitions serve as a shell in which you can create any number of logical partitions.
Logical You can create any number of logical partitions inside an extended partition. You cannot set a logical partition as an active partition, so you cannot use logical partitions to hold most operating systems. Instead, logical partitions are normally used for organizing files. All logical partitions are visible, no matter what operating system is booted, so logical partitions provide a good method for making files available to any of the operating systems installed on a multiple boot computer.
You can create partitions in a number of ways, including the following:
Prior to installing any operating systems, you can use the MS-DOS command Fdisk to view and create partitions. fdisk is useful because you can start a computer using an MS-DOS floppy boot disk and set up your partitions before installing any operating systems.
During the installation of Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, or Windows XP, you can use the setup program to create multiple partitions.
After installation of any version of Windows, you can create and manage partitions by using built-in disk management tools, including Disk Administrator in Windows NT 4.0, and Disk Management in Windows 2000 and Windows XP.
Understanding File Systems and File System Access
Setting up or troubleshooting file system access on a multiple boot computer requires that you understand why different file systems are required and some common issues that arise when different file systems are used in a multiple boot environment. The three types of file systems discussed here are FAT and FAT32 (which are earlier and simpler file systems) and NTFS (which is newer, more secure, and more complex).
On computers that contain multiple operating systems, compatibility and file access across operating systems becomes an issue because all operating systems do not support all file systems. File compatibility problems result in files on a particular partition being unavailable when using another operating system on the computer. Having an understanding of the three file system types helps you troubleshoot these access problems.
FAT and FAT32
FAT is a file system that is used by MS-DOS- and Windows-based operating systems to arrange and manage files that are stored on the computer. This type of file system organization allows information about the files to be accessed quickly and reliably. FAT is the only choice of file systems for MS-DOS, Windows 3.1, and the original release of Windows 95 because FAT is a 16-bit file system; FAT32 is a 32-bit file system that is compatible with newer operating systems, starting with Windows 95 OSR2.
FAT32 is an enhanced version of the FAT file system that supports larger volumes than FAT. FAT32 is a better choice than FAT when a larger hard disk is installed and when NTFS cannot be used. FAT32 can be used with all modern operating systems. Windows XP can convert a partition formatted as FAT or FAT32 to NTFS without loss of data, and conversion is usually a good choice. However, converting back to FAT or FAT32 from NTFS without loss of data is not supported. The only way to change a drive from NTFS to FAT or FAT32 is to back up your data, reformat the disk as FAT or FAT32, reinstall Windows and any applications, and then restore your data.
NTFS
NTFS is a superior file system that provides organization, performance, security, reliability, and advanced features that the FAT and FAT32 file systems do not provide. NTFS offers encryption, file and folder permissions, disk quotas, and more. NTFS is supported only by the latest operating systems, as detailed the below table.
Supported File Systems
The below table shows the file systems that are supported in various Microsoft operating systems. Keep in mind that the support that is listed refers to the local file system only.
Any operating system that can access network shares can do so regardless of the file system that is used on the computer sharing the data.
Operating System Supports FAT Supports FAT32 Supports NTFS
MS-DOS Y N N
YWindows 3.1 Y N N
Windows NT Server and Workstation Y N Y
Windows 95 Y N N
Windows 95 OSR2 Y Y N
Windows 98 Y Y N
Windows ME Y Y N
Windows 2000 Professional and Server Y Y Y
Windows XP Y Y Y
Windows Server 2003 N Y Y
Because of file system limitations, a multiple boot computer running Windows 98 and Windows XP needs to have one FAT or FAT32 partition for Windows 98, and a FAT, FAT32, or NTFS partition for Windows XP. However, although NTFS is the better choice for security, users will encounter file access problems when they boot to the Windows 98 partition because Windows 98 does not support NTFS. These problems and others are detailed in the next section.
Troubleshooting File System Access
The above table detailed which operating systems provide support for which file systems. It is important to understand the significance of this data. As just mentioned, file system access problems can occur when a user is logged on to one operating system and tries to access a file or folder on another partition using a file system that the operating system does not support. An operating system that can access only a FAT partition does not recognize any files on a FAT32 or NTFS partition; an operating system that can access only FAT or FAT32 partitions does not recognize an NTFS partition.
When faced with problems that are caused by incompatible file systems, the only real solution is to format the partitions by using the correct file system configuration. For instance, if users need to dual boot between Windows 3.1 and Windows XP, and need to be able to access files on each partition regardless of which operating system they have booted to, the file systems for both partitions must be configured as FAT. This is because Windows 3.1 recognizes only FAT, so it cannot recognize the Windows XP partition unless it is formatted as FAT as well.
If file system configuration is not the problem, meaning that the configured file systems and operating systems are compatible, consider these other items that can cause problems on multiple boot computers:
Each operating system must be installed on a separate volume or partition. Microsoft does not support installing multiple operating systems on the same partition or volume, nor is this encouraged.
NTFS operating systems should not be installed on compressed drives that were not compressed by using the NTFS compression utility.
You must install the operating systems in a specific order: MS-DOS, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows NT, Windows 2000, and then Windows XP.
If you are using Windows NT 4.0, apply Service Pack 5 or later. Windows automatically updates all NTFS partitions to the version of NTFS used in Windows 2000 and Windows XP. This resolves most file access problems among NTFS partitions.
Multiple boot computers cannot be configured for Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows Me; these operating systems all use the same boot file.
As with troubleshooting any problem you will encounter, there are plenty of articles available from the Knowledge Base, TechNet, the Windows XP Expert Zone, and various newsgroups. When faced with a problem with file access and multiple boot computers, access these sites and resources.
Troubleshooting Permission Problems
Some users might encounter file permission problems when working with multiple boot computers, especially if those computers are also multiuser computers. Users must have the correct permissions to access files and folders and to perform specific tasks on a multiple boot computer. If proper permissions are not assigned to the user or the user’s group, she receives a file permission error message, generally in the form of an Access Is Denied message.
When a user encounters access denied messages to a file or a folder, you will be called on to resolve those errors. If the user needs access and the owner of the file wants to grant it, you can offer access by changing the share and NTFS permissions on the file or program in question to include that user by following these steps:
Use Windows Explorer to locate the problem folder.
Right-click the folder and choose Properties.
On the Sharing tab, verify that the folder is shared, and then click Permissions.
In the Permissions for the folder dialog box, verify that the user has access to the folder. If the user does not have access, add the user or the user’s group by clicking Add and selecting the user or group appropriately. If the user or group is already added, verify that the permissions are configured correctly. Click OK.
If NTFS permissions have been applied, select the Security tab. Verify that the user has access to the file or folder. If the user does not have access, add the user or the user’s group by clicking Add and selecting the user or group appropriately. If the user or group is already added, verify that the permissions are configured correctly. Click OK.
Users might also receive errors when installing programs. Remember, only users with Standard or Administrator accounts can install programs. To resolve this issue, the user either has to be given additional advanced permissions or be assigned to a different group with the required permissions.
Difficult-to-Diagnose Errors
Access and permissions errors that are hard to diagnose can occur, especially when errors appear and everything seems to be in order, including the user name and password, permissions, and group membership. These errors are best resolved using the Knowledge Base or TechNet.
For instance, Knowledge Base article 810881 discusses how an Access Is Denied message can be issued to the owner of a folder if the original folder was created on an NTFS file system volume by using a previous installation of Windows, and then Windows XP Professional was subsequently installed. The article goes on to state that the error occurs because the security ID for the user has changed. Even if the user offers the same user name and password, the security ID no longer matches; thus, the owner of the folder cannot open his or her own folder. (The resolution of this issue requires logging on as an administrator and taking ownership of the folder.)
Additional problems can occur when folders have been moved or if a partition has been reformatted. When you encounter access problems after an upgrade or after modifying a partition, check the Knowledge Base first for answers.
Installing and Accessing Applications
When configuring a multiple boot computer, many users incorrectly assume that they can install a program once under a single operating system and then run the program from any other installed operating system. They might get this idea because multiuser computers need to have their applications installed only once, but that is an incorrect assumption about multiple boot computers. When users’ applications do not work, you will be called on to resolve the problem. For the most part, you will need to reinstall the required programs only on each operating system in which the user requires access.
As you begin installing the applications for each operating system, you might run into compatibility problems. An application that runs well on Windows 98 might not run properly on Windows XP. When this happens, you will need to install the program using program compatibility mode.
Multiple Installations
When a user complains that an application is not working properly and does not run on a multiple boot computer, verify that the application is installed for the correct operating system. If the user is simply browsing to the application’s executable file and trying to run it from another operating system’s partition, you have found the problem. To resolve the problem, reboot the computer and install the application on the operating system with which it is to be used.
To determine where a particular program is installed, follow these steps:
Locate the program by browsing to it using Windows Explorer, or ask the use from where he or she is accessing the file. You might find that he or she has created shortcuts on the desktop, added the program to the Start menu, or performed other creative tasks.
Right click the icon and select Properties.
In the Properties dialog box, select the General tab. In the Location box, note the location of the installed file.
If necessary, reinstall the application under the correct operating system.
Using Program Compatibility Mode
When troubleshooting applications on multiple boot computers, you might find that the applications are installed correctly but are still not functioning correctly. If the applications are installed correctly for the operating system, the issue might lie with the program compatibility settings. Program compatibility settings allow older applications to work on newer operating systems, and newer applications to work on older ones. You can configure program compatibility mode settings as follows:
Use Windows Explorer to locate the executable file for the application that is not running properly.
Right-click the executable file and choose Properties.
In the file’s Properties dialog box, select the Compatibility tab.
Select the Run This Program In Compatibility Mode For check box, and from the available drop-down list, select the appropriate operating system.
If necessary, select any or all of the following check boxes:
Run In 256 Colors This setting adjusts the color quality setting to 256 colors while the program is running. When the program is closed, the color quality settings return to the user’s defaults.
Run In 640 × 480 Screen Resolution This setting adjusts the screen resolution to 640 × 480 while the program is running. When the program is closed, the screen resolution settings return to the user’s defaults.
Disable Visual Themes This setting prevents visual themes from being applied to the program. This often works to resolve problems with menus or buttons in the program. When the program is closed, the theme setting returns to the user’s default.
Turn Off Advanced Text Services For This Program This setting turns off any advanced text services while the program is running. When the program is closed, the text settings return to the user’s defaults and are available in other programs.
Click OK to apply.
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