Setting up User Space in New W7 Pro Install

[AtlBo]

Been working on a new installation of Windows 7 Pro 64 for two days, and I am having trouble putting the pieces together about how to proceed. I have some system specific issues I can mention separately, but I first want to get to the main issues.

I set up user account just after installing, and the plan was to install programs offline and so on and then go from there to put together something together for security. I want to get it right for sure. So I installed VoodooShield as a stop gap, and it's working OK. However, this is my first real go at a limited rights account, and I have had some issues with software leading to a UAC password prompt, even on startup. There are other issues like Comodo Programs Manager not monitoring in the user space, which I managed to fix by setting all of the program's executables to "Run this program as and administrator". I have now done this for several programs, but it's not so much that I can't go back and undo this if there is a better way. Some programs do still request a password when being run on click, which is something I would like to get around if possible. Would be best if it were just programs I designate I guess.

So here is what I would like;
1. Programs I set to startup run on startup in the userspace in the user space without a UAC prompt. Not sure what's in all of this
2. Programs I install in the userspace do not require UAC approval to run on click. I have security to catch mistakes I might make, so this is how I would like to go. I saw information on how to create scheduled tasks for this, but I couldn't create the task in the userspace. Didn't try as admin. I got the password prompt, but I didn't have the option to select the admin account to approve the task.

Problems:
1. Installed 360 TS Essentials and that went well, so I installed Comodo Firewall 10, hoping that would go the same way. I was planning to use Dragon as the default browser, which is fine with me, but it had some issues, apparently. Everything was fine but then the icon disappeared (and from Comodo Programs Manager too) leaving the white page icon. The link for Dragon would not open the program (could not find the program apparently), so I was without dragon. In the admin account everything was normal. I think this was a Comodo Firewall issue as I was trying to run Comodo HIPS and VoodooShield at the same time. Another issue is that VoodooShield quit running on startup with Comodo Firewall running (HIPS on and then off both). VoodooShield had flagged the installation as malware, which made me giggle, but it is Interesting that VS considered CF possible malware in retrospect. Is the problem to do with this one issue? Anyway, I was stuck in a hopeless loop of not knowing whether I lacked admin rights somehow for VoodooShield or CF was the issue. As I mentioned, I went into CF and allowed all the blocked HIPS events, but his didn't resolve this issue or the Dragon issue. OK, for me, lesson learned on Comodo HIPS. No problem honestly, once the sandbox is set up correctly, but I did roll back to yesterday to start over. Not much was lost so everything is good. I'll disable HIPS quickly next time.
2. Nagging issue with VoodooShield (when it is ON) blocking a script (which references another script) which ultimately creates a temp file in the userspace in the folder where the .bat is located (it must be in that location). The .bat runs every 12 minutes, and at present I get 8 prompts in a row every 12 minutes when VS is on. I can troubleshoot this later, so it's not the main thing for now.
3. What is the proper/correct way to install software in the userspace? Do I have to run the software as admin in every case? Just want to get past the strange events that seem to come from working with limited rights for the first time.

So I know some/many of you guys are masters with the userspace. Is there a (sorry for the caps) SIMPLE step by step for this. I would love to get into this kind of thing here:

Windows Pro owner? Use Software Restriction Policies!

and I will heed advice of any kind, including the kind in this tutorial thread. However, for me to be able to accomplish this, I will need a certain degree of step by step. It sounds like it's what I am looking for, but you guys talk fast in some of the deeper config threads. To take the pressure off, I'm not looking for necessarily long answers. I would really just like a list of slow, short, simple instructions to get started. Then maybe some discussion. Sorry, this is where I am with user accounts .

One last thing. It's important to me that programs start and run without a prompt in the userspace. I mean the account is password protected, and I will have alot of security, including 360 TSE, Comodo FW 10, and VoodooShield. I'll also throw EMET 5.5 on the PC too, so it should be secure. I just have these nagging hassles about how to install the software. Dragon apparently vanishing into the admin account was very perplexing.

Thanks in advance for any list of short procedures or procedures with links etc.

EDIT: Probably the wrong forum with this apologies

 

[conceptualclarity]

Ouch! I don't want to get involved on my system in something as knotty as what you mention in 1 and 2.

I think you probably put this in the right forum. I hope it will attract some attention. Maybe this modest post will help with that.

If nobody here takes it up, try other computer forums. Major Geeks, Wilders, Raymond.cc Forum, http://forums.anandtech.com/, http://forums.mydigitallife.info, http://forums.techguy.org/, Geeks to Go - Free help from tech experts, http://windowsforum.com/, Tom’s Hardware: For The Hardcore PC Enthusiast, http://www.techsupportforum.com, MSFN, OSR Online - The Home Page for Windows Driver Developers, http://www.pchelpforum.com. (Checking my Favorites folder in LastPass vault.)

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas, pal!

 

[AtlBo]

You too cc. Thanks for the links.

Password protecting the main/Admin account and adding a normal password protected user account (normal user account automatically has limited rights for installing and using functions of Windows) really changes everything I am finding out now. It seems some programs require admin rights to access elements of Windows to run. So, if these programs are installed in the normal user account, running one of the programs means a UAC prompt for the admin password. It's actually not so bad once one becomes accustomed to the process. Most of the programs are programs I don't use very much. Mostly it's been programs like Comodo Programs Manager and CPU-z. I think CCleaner Portable causes the prompt, but not sure about the normal one. Probably will be others by the time I get done installing everything, idk.

I think I have everything nice and stable now. Got two backups I can count on and so it looks good. The browser I'm using, called Vivaldi (it's webkit based & branched off of the Opera project but not supported by Google stores yet), can't install extensions. That's a problem, but I can use it to avoid some pop ups alerts (I have to click them every 12 minutes) from VoodooShield. This happens for me when using a browser that VS recognizes. It turns on and starts blocking the scripts. I am using Comodo sandbox to protect the browser's activity for now.

Hope you're having a great Christmas time cc. I guess you might be in the snow where you are, but it's in the mid 70s here today I think...

You should have no problem with W7 when you decide to set up your new PC. BTW, I recommend a password even at home, especially on a single Admin account. It means that if someone cracks your firewall somehow, they still have to get by the password.