Run explorer.exe as another user in Vista ?

Hello,

I have trouble trying to run explorer.exe as another user in windows Vista
os.
In XP things worked like that -
1. check "Launch folder windows in a separate process" check box in folder
options for the target account.
2. use runas.exe to launch explorer.exe as another user.

I can launch other applications as another user with no problems in Vista
(like notepad.exe) using runas.exe or "run as administrator" context menu
command. I'm interested only to launch explorer.exe in different user
context - so it doesn't matter to me if users are regular or administrators,
it doesn't matter if UAC is on or off. (I tried with UAC off but it should
be the same result with UAC on). So:
1. I selected "Launch folder windows in a separate process" for user
administrator.
2. I logged on interactively using user1.
3. I launched explorer.exe using "runas explorer.exe /u:administrator" -
explorer.exe started - but I checked context - and it was user1 not
administrator !!!
(I got the same result using "run as administrator" context menu command)

What am I doing wrong ? - It should be possible to launch explorer.exe as
another user.

thanks
Vilius

Vilius Mockûnas wrote:

> Hello,
>
> I have trouble trying to run explorer.exe as another user in windows Vista
> os.
> In XP things worked like that -
> 1. check "Launch folder windows in a separate process" check box in folder
> options for the target account.
> 2. use runas.exe to launch explorer.exe as another user.
>
> I can launch other applications as another user with no problems in Vista
> (like notepad.exe) using runas.exe or "run as administrator" context menu
> command. I'm interested only to launch explorer.exe in different user
> context - so it doesn't matter to me if users are regular or
> administrators, it doesn't matter if UAC is on or off. (I tried with UAC
> off but it should be the same result with UAC on). So:
> 1. I selected "Launch folder windows in a separate process" for user
> administrator.
> 2. I logged on interactively using user1.
> 3. I launched explorer.exe using "runas explorer.exe /u:administrator" -
> explorer.exe started - but I checked context - and it was user1 not
> administrator !!!
> (I got the same result using "run as administrator" context menu command)
>
> What am I doing wrong ? - It should be possible to launch explorer.exe as
> another user.

You can't normally elevate explorer.exe. This is by design for security
purposes. Here are two very good articles about this by Aaron Margosis:

http://blogs.msdn.com/aaron_margosis...-is-vista.aspx
http://blogs.msdn.com/aaron_margosis...ows-vista.aspx

Malke
--
MS-MVP
Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ