install without local admin authority

andrewvr · Post by **andrewvr** » Thu Dec 11, 2003 11:32 am

Is there a way to install Textpad on an NT machine on which I do not have local admin authority?

I do have rights to add to the HKCU, but I don't think much else. The error message I get when trying the install:

1202: you do not have sufficient privileges to compete this installation for all users of the machine. Logon as administrator and then retry this installation.

Can Textpad not run in some sort of degraded mode when it does not have the rights it expects?

ramonsky · Post by **ramonsky** » Thu Dec 11, 2003 4:04 pm

When you try to install TextPad, and you get to the wizard step which says:

Install this application for:
[*] Anyone who uses this computer (all users)
[*] Only for me (your name)

the default is all users. Try changing it to just you. I don't know if that will work, but it's certainly worth a try.

andrewvr · Post by **andrewvr** » Fri Dec 12, 2003 9:27 am

Thanks for taking the time to reply.

However, I don't get to that screen. Installshield starts running with a "preparing to install" window, but then the error pops up before any interaction has taken place.

Do the Textpad support people monitor this forum as well, or is there somewhere else I should go to ask them?

ramonsky · Post by **ramonsky** » Fri Dec 12, 2003 9:39 am

Do the Textpad support people monitor this forum as well, or is there somewhere else I should go to ask them?

Er, yeah, I'm pretty sure they do. The "elsewhere" is http://www.textpad.com/support/feedback.php, but you're not supposed to hassle unless you've tried all other options. In your case, it seems you have, so I guess you can go submit a bug report.

My thoughts ... I believe that it is "rude" for a program, any program, to attempt to install for all users. What if those other users don't want TextPad? Imposing it on them against their will seems akin to spamming to me. Of course, you do get a choice in the Wizard (which you didn't get to, ahem) but in my view the default is wrong, and XP is perfectly right to complain that a program should NOT interfere with other users' choices without their explicit consent. If you're your own administrator, fair enough. If you're the sys-admin of a company, then other employees have no choice but to put up with your decisions. But in all other cases, TP should default to "install for a single user only". Well - just my little rant there. TP folk, please ignore me if you disagree. It's not a criticism of TP per se, it's a criticism of pretty much every program on the planet.