Why does TaxCut require user to be Administrator?

(This might already be straying too far from tax-related discussion, but I'll give it a try...)

Don't blame TaxCut, it really comes down to the way Microsoft implemented security in their operating systems. All application vendors must work within that framework, described here:

It's a Windows requirement that installing most software requires administrator privileges. However there is also a "Power Users" group in Windows which will probably meet your needs after the product is installed. Security and convenience are always inversely proportional.

Macromedia is a company (now owned by Adobe), not a program. Which Macromedia product was installed? (most likely, Flash player, to play various videos and tutorials that come with the program). Was there an option to customize the installation?

How did you do that, without administrator privileges? The "system restore" feature built in to Win XP should have made this relatively easy to do without restoring a backup.

Perhaps history repeats itself...

-Mark Bole

What programs (or kinds of programs) of yours was upset by Macromedia? I also hated that TT thought I needed old versions Internet explorer and other obsolete crap.

OK, no argument with requiring Administrator privileges for installation. Should not however need them for running application software. And yes, I did try "power user" first but it did not work - TaxCut insisted on Admin privileges to run.

Yes, it was Macromedia Flash Player that was installed and overlayed/ regressed a local installation which had been extensively customized for security purposes. There was no option to customize the TaxCut installation and no warning that it was installing other non-TaxCut software such as Flash or also PDF999.

I'm not saying that I can't have Administrator privileges when necessary but I don't view running applications software as Administrator as a good software practice - just laziness on the part of the software developers. And the built-in restore function just cleans up registry entries. It doesn't uninstall Flash and restore the previous version.

TaxCut Premium Federal 2007 installed Macromedia FlashPlayer without warning and without option. It overlayed the previous installation and regressed extensive local security customization.

You're absolutely correct. There is no reason for normal execution to require Administrator permissions and it definitely does require Administrator permissions (Power User will not do). It opens up a security hole for anyone who has adopted good operating practices and uses a restricted login in for daily tasks. The previous version (2006) worked fine without Admin priviledges once it was installed. I'm sure H&R Block's IT security team would know better than to allow an application like that on their own network. It does make you suspicious. Was this done simply out of ignorance or because they are routinely executing some task that you would not permit if you knew they were doing it? While I suspect the former I'm not prepared to take the risk and I will be looking to a different product next year.

To run TaxCut without logging in as an administrator, right click the program icon while holding down shift and choose "Run As" from the resulting menu. Enter an administrator ID and passwd.

David

I had the same experience with TaxACT.

I had several interactions with their tech support. Bottom line: Administrator privileges are required to run (not just to install).

The limitation isn't documented in the Help, in the read_me, or anyplace on the company's web site, as far as I can see.

This is all puzzling to me.

Does TurboTax require Administrator privileges to run the program?

Ah, yes, but then when you save anything, or "print" to a file, or etc., etc., the results end up in the administrator's file tree or desktop (unless you remember every time and bother to navigate to the user's). What a pain! At least that's what typically happens when I use "Run As" with software.

Una

The place for questions such as these the support section of

-- Vic Roberts Replace xxx with vdr in e-mail address.

Versions 2005-2007 dont require. They just dropped support of Windows 2000, which nockss out one of my older computers. They will give a refund if doesnt run on your computer.