Limitations in scanning from a particular account

[Exerciser]

I installed SpybotS&D and ran it from an admin account. I have ran into situations in the past, however, where the admin account does not have access to all things belonging to a user account. I normally work with a user account. Therefore, I rescanned the system with my user account.

For the purpose of SpybotS&D, does it suffice to run it only from an admin account? Is it for sure that, for the things that it scans, the admin account will be able to access all counterpart things in all user accounts (and for that matter, all other admin accounts)?

If not, and if I'm in a user account (as I am most of the time), does it suffice to Run-As SpybotS&D as an admin account? Past experience with other apps and tool environments has shown that using Run-As to launch an app as admin does not necessarily generate the same behaviour as logging into an admin account and launching the app.

Thanks

[Zenobia]

I assume you're running Windows XP?

This post is from an older version of Spybot,but I believe it still holds true. :)
http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?t=308

I am using Spybot S&D 1.4 with Windows XP Media Edition, and have created Windows accounts for each of my family members (total of 4). My account is the computer administrator. If I scan from the admin account, does Spybot look at ALL user account areas?


The entire system is scanned for most malware. However, because of restrictions in the Microsoft APIs (Application Program Interfaces) used by Spybot, the scan from one account does not include the Internet cache or cookies of other accounts.

[Exerciser]

Yes, I am running XP. How did you know?

The answer is helpful. I'll be sure to scan from all accounts that I use.

As an offshoot question, are updates from a non-administator account pretty safe? I've been doing that, but am not sure if it compromises the update.

[Zenobia]

I guessed from the wording of your post you had Windows XP,but wanted to be sure. :)

The non-administrator accounts you use are just simple limited accounts?

My Windows XP computer is toast,so I can't look for myself to say for 100% certainty whether or not it's ok to update from a non-admin account.
But,since on my Vista checking for updates causes a UAC prompt,and reading past posts on this forum about Spybot updates and limited accounts refer to updating from an administrator account,or similar,I assume it's best to update Spybot from an administrator account.
From most past posts,people who normally used the non-admin account sometimes set up a scheduled task for Spybot to update from the admin account,if that's at all helpful. :)
http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?t=45641

[Exerciser]

Good guess....because it could have been Windows 2000 too (tho I guess no one runs that these days). The referenced thread about running update as Admin identifies complications that I expect from not actually logging in as Admin. I'll continue manually doing updates from the user account (a power user account, tho I'm not too sure what the differences are with nonpower user account). Maybe do a real admin-login update once in a while.

Thanks.

[Zenobia]

I saw Windows XP when I peered into my crystal ball,though.(just kidding) :D:

Doing the updates from a power user account should be fine,since power users have more privileges than a user account. :)
Microsoft outlines some of the differences here:
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/windows_security_default_settings.mspx?mfr=true

[Exerciser]

That's a very informative page! Thanks!

[Zenobia]

You're welcome. :)