Paint Shop Pro support - PSP and Windows XP SP2

Author

PSP and Windows XP SP2

Peter Heckert

2004-12-18, 12:17 pm

Hello,

I am trying out PSP 9.0 and Windows XP professional.

I use the NTFS filesystem and I made a restricted user account for
myself.
This means, I have write-access to My Files and Common Files only, but not
to the PROGRAMS directory and not to other users data or the System
directory.

This is a very good protection against trojans and viruses and kiddy
scripts.

However, PSP is very slow under this circumstances and some menupoints are
greyed out, and when marching ants are visible, then it uses up 100% CPU
time.

When I use PSP under an admin account, then it works fast and fine as
expected.
However, why does it needs admin rights? Is my system affected by a virus
or trojan?

What is the recommended way to run PSP?

There would be another way to protect my System: Using PSP under an
power-user account and all executables are owned and protected by admin.
Then PSP still may have write access to the PROGRAMS directory.

Would this work?

regards,

Peter

Carl Frisk

2004-12-18, 12:17 pm

Are you on a domain? Is this a work machine?

Your best protection against virus's is good anti-virus software and a good firewall. Don't bother with XP's firewall.
Use Zone Alarm or Norton's or any other well rated firewall.
Also run Ad-Aware and Spybot at least weekly.
Keep your critical updates - up to date!

One of the problems with the restricted user account (guest) is it can barely read parts of the registry and is locked
out of the rest of it, and can't even modify it's own hive, if I remember right. You can't update Windows or even
update your antivirus files in some cases.

It's really meant to be a guest account. Something you might set up for your kids. There are some trojans by the way
that walk right through the restricted users account destroying your SIDS on the way. SP2 should be safe from that, at
least until the next one comes along. There are many programs that won't run under a restricted user account BTW.

You might try setting up a standard account and using it instead.

Contact Corel/JASC tech support and I'm sure they have work arounds to get you running under the restricted account. My
point being don't rely on the restricted account for security. CodeRed was one virus that could take over your machine
before you logged on.

I'm not going to tell you to just use the Admin account as that would be poor advice but millions of users do with no
problems.

--
....Carl Frisk
Anger is a brief madness.
- Horace, 20 B.C.
http://www.carlfrisk.com

"Peter Heckert" <ph_newsalias2@arcor.de> wrote in message news:pan.2004.12.18.11.20.33.810490@hphsite.de...
> Hello,
>
> I am trying out PSP 9.0 and Windows XP professional.
>
> I use the NTFS filesystem and I made a restricted user account for
> myself.
> This means, I have write-access to My Files and Common Files only, but not
> to the PROGRAMS directory and not to other users data or the System
> directory.
>
> This is a very good protection against trojans and viruses and kiddy
> scripts.
>
> However, PSP is very slow under this circumstances and some menupoints are
> greyed out, and when marching ants are visible, then it uses up 100% CPU
> time.
>
> When I use PSP under an admin account, then it works fast and fine as
> expected.
> However, why does it needs admin rights? Is my system affected by a virus
> or trojan?
>
> What is the recommended way to run PSP?
>
> There would be another way to protect my System: Using PSP under an
> power-user account and all executables are owned and protected by admin.
> Then PSP still may have write access to the PROGRAMS directory.
>
> Would this work?
>
> regards,
>
> Peter
>
>
>

Peter Heckert

2004-12-18, 12:17 pm

Carl Frisk wrote:

> Are you on a domain? Is this a work machine?
>
It is my personal computer. I am not on a Domain.

> Your best protection against virus's is good anti-virus software and a
> good firewall. Don't bother with XP's firewall. Use Zone Alarm or
> Norton's or any other well rated firewall.

Presently I have the XP Firewall and the hardware-firewall builtin to
the DSL-Router, which gives complete control to me.

> Also run Ad-Aware and Spybot at
> least weekly. Keep your critical updates - up to date!
>
> One of the problems with the restricted user account (guest) is it can
> barely read parts of the registry and is locked out of the rest of it, and
> can't even modify it's own hive, if I remember right.

This is as intended.
It should not have and need acess to all of the registry ;-)

> You can't update
> Windows or even update your antivirus files in some cases.
>
Automatic Windows update works well, and Antivir is administered from the
Admin account. All applications and updates are installed by the Admin.
(The Admin is really myself, it's my other incarnation ;-)

> It's really meant to be a guest account. Something you might set up for
> your kids.

In Linux (and gimp, which I used before) this would be a regular user
account.

There are some trojans by the way that walk right through
> the restricted users account destroying your SIDS on the way. SP2
> should be safe from that, at least until the next one comes along. There
> are many programs that won't run under a restricted user account BTW.
>
Yes, this is the problem.
I cannot do everything in the same way, as I do under Linux.
A lot of other costs for security- and other software will arise, and
probably the best would be stay with Linux and run Windows in a sandbox
without Internet connection, then it will be safe.

;-)

regards,

Peter

Carl Frisk

2004-12-18, 12:17 pm

I really dislike inline quoting as it removes context, but you did a pretty good job. So you're coming from Linux. A
lot more makes sense now:) Linux is not totally secure either. Although Linux does do a better job of patching. Now
that it's taking a larger market share it's day for virus's will come. For years now I've watched the Linux crowd
silently patch many of the same bugs found in Windows:) One thing I can say they were usually a lot quicker and more
comprehensive about it! I imagine they still are.

BTW my 3rd OS was UNIX - now there was a security nightmare! This was before there was a DOS and CPM was just getting
noticed. And of course Linux wasn't even a dream yet.

Hardware firewall - excellent!

About the only thing else I would do is rename the Administrator account. And I assume you've password protected your
router and firewall.

--
....Carl Frisk
Anger is a brief madness.
- Horace, 20 B.C.
http://www.carlfrisk.com

"Peter Heckert" <ph_newsalias2@arcor.de> wrote in message news:pan.2004.12.18.13.53.35.25191@hphsite.de...
> Carl Frisk wrote:
>
> It is my personal computer. I am not on a Domain.
>
>
> Presently I have the XP Firewall and the hardware-firewall builtin to
> the DSL-Router, which gives complete control to me.
>
>
> This is as intended.
> It should not have and need acess to all of the registry ;-)
>
> Automatic Windows update works well, and Antivir is administered from the
> Admin account. All applications and updates are installed by the Admin.
> (The Admin is really myself, it's my other incarnation ;-)
>
>
> In Linux (and gimp, which I used before) this would be a regular user
> account.
>
> There are some trojans by the way that walk right through
> Yes, this is the problem.
> I cannot do everything in the same way, as I do under Linux.
> A lot of other costs for security- and other software will arise, and
> probably the best would be stay with Linux and run Windows in a sandbox
> without Internet connection, then it will be safe.
>
> ;-)
>
> regards,
>
> Peter
>
>

Joe Fromm

2004-12-18, 12:17 pm

I'm afraid that I can't offer any solutions to what you are seeing, but I
have a similar setup to yours with no problem - my main account is an
ordinary user account under XP, while I use a separate admin account for
when I need privileges.

I don't have any trouble with PSP running in that configuration. One
possible difference is that at the time I installed PSP 9 my main account
was still an admin - I only downgraded it a month or two ago.

Possibly offtopic, but this site has some very good info about running
limited accounts on XP: http://weblogs.asp.net/aaron_margosis

Joe

"Peter Heckert" <ph_newsalias2@arcor.de> wrote in message
news:pan.2004.12.18.11.20.33.810490@hphsite.de...
> Hello,
>
> I am trying out PSP 9.0 and Windows XP professional.
>
> I use the NTFS filesystem and I made a restricted user account for
> myself.
> This means, I have write-access to My Files and Common Files only, but not
> to the PROGRAMS directory and not to other users data or the System
> directory.
>
> This is a very good protection against trojans and viruses and kiddy
> scripts.
>
> However, PSP is very slow under this circumstances and some menupoints are
> greyed out, and when marching ants are visible, then it uses up 100% CPU
> time.
>
> When I use PSP under an admin account, then it works fast and fine as
> expected.
> However, why does it needs admin rights? Is my system affected by a virus
> or trojan?
>
> What is the recommended way to run PSP?
>
> There would be another way to protect my System: Using PSP under an
> power-user account and all executables are owned and protected by admin.
> Then PSP still may have write access to the PROGRAMS directory.
>
> Would this work?
>
> regards,
>
> Peter
>
>
>

Carl Frisk

2004-12-18, 12:17 pm

He's running from a restricted user account.

--
....Carl Frisk
Anger is a brief madness.
- Horace, 20 B.C.
http://www.carlfrisk.com

"Joe Fromm" <jfromm@mn.rr.com> wrote in message news:a3Ywd.131388$ye4.13412@twister.rdc-kc.rr.com...
> I'm afraid that I can't offer any solutions to what you are seeing, but I
> have a similar setup to yours with no problem - my main account is an
> ordinary user account under XP, while I use a separate admin account for
> when I need privileges.
>
> I don't have any trouble with PSP running in that configuration. One
> possible difference is that at the time I installed PSP 9 my main account
> was still an admin - I only downgraded it a month or two ago.
>
> Possibly offtopic, but this site has some very good info about running
> limited accounts on XP: http://weblogs.asp.net/aaron_margosis
>
> Joe
>
>
> "Peter Heckert" <ph_newsalias2@arcor.de> wrote in message
> news:pan.2004.12.18.11.20.33.810490@hphsite.de...
>
>

Uni

2004-12-18, 12:17 pm

Peter Heckert wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I am trying out PSP 9.0 and Windows XP professional.
>
> I use the NTFS filesystem and I made a restricted user account for
> myself.
> This means, I have write-access to My Files and Common Files only, but not
> to the PROGRAMS directory and not to other users data or the System
> directory.
>
> This is a very good protection against trojans and viruses and kiddy
> scripts.
>
> However, PSP is very slow under this circumstances and some menupoints are
> greyed out, and when marching ants are visible, then it uses up 100% CPU
> time.
>
> When I use PSP under an admin account, then it works fast and fine as
> expected.
> However, why does it needs admin rights? Is my system affected by a virus
> or trojan?
>
> What is the recommended way to run PSP?
>
> There would be another way to protect my System: Using PSP under an
> power-user account and all executables are owned and protected by admin.
> Then PSP still may have write access to the PROGRAMS directory.
>
> Would this work?

No, there is no way, unless, of course, you're employed at Jasc, then
everything under the sun will work with PSP-9!!!!

:-)

Uni

>
> regards,
>
> Peter
>
>
>

Peter Heckert

2004-12-18, 12:17 pm

Carl Frisk wrote:

> BTW my 3rd OS was UNIX - now there was a security nightmare! This was
> before there was a DOS and CPM was just getting noticed.

Yes. Telnet to smtp and type "WIZ" and you are root ;-)
These days are over ;-)

> And of course
> Linux wasn't even a dream yet.
>
I would like using PSP and some better denoising plugins.
This sort of software is not available for Linux yet.
Gimp becomes better and better but some thimgs are still missing.

> Hardware firewall - excellent!
>
> About the only thing else I would do is rename the Administrator account.
> And I assume you've password protected your router and firewall.
Of course.

And disable UPnP.

Windows /could/ be secure when the software would support it.
I /could/ switch over to Windows.
But when you secure it, then it renders the software unusable.

It ist cheaper to buy a second cheap computer with a lot of memory and
network it with FreeNX or buy a commercial X-Server than to buy and
upgrade and maintain security software in a long term of view. And when
you dont need it anymore, you can sell it or the components or the bundled
software. And you get a second Workplace.

Probably this would be a fine idea for linux vendors, they could package
it in a user-friendly way and sell it.

Regards,

Peter

Regards,

Uni

2004-12-18, 7:17 pm

Peter Heckert wrote:
>
> I would like using PSP and some better denoising plugins.
> This sort of software is not available for Linux yet.
> Gimp becomes better and better but some thimgs are still missing.

Kris Zaklika and Joe Fromm examining GIMP's source code......

Kris and Joe look at each other and yell "Oh, so that's how they do it!!!!!"

:-)

Uni

Peter Heckert

2004-12-18, 7:17 pm

Uni wrote:

>
> No, there is no way, unless, of course, you're employed at Jasc, then
> everything under the sun will work with PSP-9!!!!
>

I am trying it, not using it.
However you are probably using a cracked copy of photoshop in a sandbox
jail for windows? It's quite secure to do so ;-)

regards,

peter

Trev

2004-12-18, 7:17 pm

"Peter Heckert" <ph_newsalias2@arcor.de> wrote in message
news:pan.2004.12.18.16.29.48.367843@hphsite.de...
> Carl Frisk wrote:
>
> I would like using PSP and some better denoising plugins.

Are there any as good never mind better

> This sort of software is not available for Linux yet.
> Gimp becomes better and better but some thimgs are still missing.
>

Uni

2004-12-18, 7:17 pm

Peter Heckert wrote:
> Uni wrote:
>
>
>
>
> I am trying it, not using it.

Well, that is good. At least you won't have to wait weeks to get a
response from Jasc's Technical Support.

:-)

> However you are probably using a cracked copy of photoshop in a sandbox
> jail for windows? It's quite secure to do so ;-)

Well, go on and purchase PSP-9. Then you can be the 4th user in the
world to swear it's better than Photoshop!

:-)

Uni

>
> regards,
>
> peter
>

Peter Heckert

2004-12-18, 7:17 pm

Hello Joe,

Joe Fromm wrote:

> I don't have any trouble with PSP running in that configuration. One
> possible difference is that at the time I installed PSP 9 my main account
> was still an admin - I only downgraded it a month or two ago.
>
> Possibly offtopic, but this site has some very good info about running
> limited accounts on XP: http://weblogs.asp.net/aaron_margosis
>

Very useful for me.
I had discussions in microsoft.public.de.german.windowsxp technical
newsgroups and nobody could give so much useful information.

Thank you very much.

regards,

peter

Uni

2004-12-18, 7:17 pm

SnowWhite wrote:
> Peter - I am running Windows XP Home Edition with SP2 installed
> (tweaked) - my security settings are below (screen capture).
> I am using NTFS also, but this is an OEM version of Windows XP that came
> bundled with the system (HP Pavilion 750n - Pentium 4). What I have in
> the way of security is Spyware Blaster, Spy Sweeper, Ad Aware SE
> Professional, Pest Patrol, McAfee Security Center (3 subscribed
> services). This keeps my system at STEALTH level (according to SHIELDS
> UP web site).
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kris Zaklika wrote:
>
> Don't post binaries to a non-binary newsgroup. And get
> your facts right, since it doesn't pay to be ignorant.
>
[problematic PSP-9 & XP binary snipped]

SnowWhite

2004-12-18, 11:16 pm

Kris - what facts are you talking about? Mind explaining that? a screen capture was the ONLY way I could present security settings that were tweaked according to instructions by people who know more than you do about software and computers since they are software engineers ( a couple of them work for Microsoft).

Thank you

Carl Frisk

2004-12-19, 12:16 pm

There are three account types:
Administrator
Limited
Restricted (guest)

--
....Carl Frisk
Anger is a brief madness.
- Horace, 20 B.C.
http://www.carlfrisk.com

"Joe Fromm" <jfromm@mn.rr.com> wrote in message news:eG2xd.157868$T02.81596@twister.rdc-kc.rr.com...
> As am I. XP Pro shows my main account as "limited user".
>
> "Carl Frisk" <c.frisk@REMOVE.verizon.net> wrote in message
> news:HbYwd.3562$rL3.537@trnddc03...
> <snip>
>
>

Kris Zaklika

2004-12-19, 7:17 pm

> SnowWhite wrote:
>
> Kris - what facts are you talking about? Mind explaining that?

No problem. First, I am not Product Manager of anything
at Corel (or the former Jasc) as Uni claimed. Second, the
picture Uni posted is not of me. I am far better looking :)
If you look at the message threading in your newsreader
you will see that I was not replying to you but to Uni,
who is not worth further comment.

> a
> screen capture was the ONLY way I could present security settings that
> were tweaked according to instructions by people who know more than
> you do about software and computers since they are software engineers
> ( a couple of them work for Microsoft).

I'm not sure you are in a position to say what I do or do
not know, or what my skills might be. It may be true that
the settings you wanted to convey were created by people who
know more about the topic than I do. I'm not sure that has
to do with Usenet etiquette or Uni's misrepresentation of
my job. On the other hand, if people who work at MS are so
talented, why do MS products break, why do they pose so
many security risks, and why do so many people complain
about them? In general, sweeping generalizations about
competence are not useful and I don't make them.

When you wish to direct the attention of people in a
text-only newsgroup to something you want to express
with a graphic, here is what you do. You post the binary
graphic to alt.binaries.comp-graphics and mention the subject
line of your post in that group in the text of your message
here. This is how Usenet is supposed to work, since people
rely on receiving only text. (You, in fact, are posting in
HTML, not plain text.) Plain text ensures rapid downloads
and reduces the risk of viruses. Additionally, there was
nothing to stop you typing out the settings in the graphic
as plain text, so I disagree that a screen capture was the
only way you could present anything. It was what you
chose to do. Uni is a long time participant in Usenet who
knows very well that he should not be posting binaries
in a text-only group. He does it because he enjoys being
a nuisance. I made no comment about your binary post
because I assumed you were a newcomer who did not know
how Usenet is supposed to work and deserved the benefit of
the doubt. However, no you know the rules we play by.

> Thank you

SnowWhite

2004-12-19, 7:17 pm

Kris - sorry if I misunderstood you! <smile> Sometimes it's hard to know who is replying to whom. Know what I mean?

As far as your skills are concerned - you are aces in my book where PSP is concerned. You helped me in the past with some nagging problems (over the past year). And don't think I didn't appreciate that help! I did.

As far as security settings in SP2 are concerned, there are several areas that need "tweaking" and I got the info from some high tech support people (some are Microsoft MVPs and others are MVPs and fellow beta testers). I thought the information would be helpful and that is why I did a screen capture of my security settings that have been tweaked according to suggestions from the aforementioned people. OK?????

10-4

Uni

2004-12-19, 7:17 pm

Joe Fromm wrote:
> As am I. XP Pro shows my main account as "limited user".

Joe, just curious, don't you guy (and gals) at Jasc/Corel have a quality
control program? It appears, PSP-9 has major problems with Windows XP w/
service pack #2. I have to assume there was little PSP-9 beta testing,
if any, since PSP-9 popped out of the clear blue sky, overnight.

Best regards,
Uni

>
> "Carl Frisk" <c.frisk@REMOVE.verizon.net> wrote in message
> news:HbYwd.3562$rL3.537@trnddc03...
>
> <snip>
>
>

--
Got Milk? No, But Got super news!
http://www.angelfire.com/empire/abpsp/supernews.html

Xalinai

2004-12-20, 4:15 am

Could you just switch off that HTML?

SnowWhite wrote:

> Kris - sorry if I misunderstood you! <smile> Sometimes it's hard to
> know who is replying to whom. Know what I mean?
>
> As far as your skills are concerned - you are aces in my book where
> PSP is concerned. You helped me in the past with some nagging
> problems (over the past year). And don't think I didn't appreciate
> that help! I did.
>
> As far as security settings in SP2 are concerned, there are several
> areas that need "tweaking" and I got the info from some high tech
> support people (some are Microsoft MVPs and others are MVPs and
> fellow beta testers). I thought the information would be helpful and
> that is why I did a screen capture of my security settings that have
> been tweaked according to suggestions from the aforementioned people.
> OK?????
>
> 10-4
> <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
> <HTML><HEAD>
> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2523" name=GENERATOR>
> <STYLE></STYLE>
> </HEAD>
> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff>
> <DIV><FONT size=2>Kris - sorry if I misunderstood you!
> <smile>  Sometimes it's hard to know who is replying to
> whom.  Know what I mean?  </FONT></DIV>
> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
> <DIV><FONT size=2>As far as your skills are concerned - you are aces
> in my book where PSP is concerned.  You helped me in the past
> with some nagging problems (over the past year). And don't think I
> didn't appreciate that help!  I did.</FONT></DIV>
> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
> <DIV><FONT size=2>As far as security settings in SP2 are concerned,
> there are several areas that need "tweaking" and I got the info from
> some high tech support people (some are Microsoft MVPs and others are
> MVPs and fellow beta testers).  I thought the information would
> be helpful and that is why I did a screen capture of my security
> settings that have been tweaked according to suggestions from the
> aforementioned people.  OK?????</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT
> size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT
> size=2>10-4</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

SnowWhite

2004-12-20, 4:15 am

Could you JUST SWITCH OFF?????
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Could you just switch off that HTML?

Uni

2004-12-20, 4:15 am

Xalinai wrote:
> Could you just switch off that HTML?

Just use a news reader that supports it and stop complaining.

Uni

>
> SnowWhite wrote:
>
>
>
>

Uni

2004-12-20, 4:15 am

SnowWhite wrote:
> Could you JUST SWITCH OFF?????

Guess she told you, Xalinai!

:-)

Uni

> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Could you just switch off that HTML?
>

1000%

2004-12-20, 12:22 pm

You poor thing.

hahahahaha.

in article cq5ucp$a2p$02$1@news.t-online.com, Xalinai at
xalinai_2@xalinai.de wrote on 12/19/2004 11:18 PM:
[color=darkred]
> Could you just switch off that HTML?
>
> SnowWhite wrote:
>

Paul Busby

2004-12-22, 7:19 pm

Thus spake Trev:
> "Peter Heckert" <ph_newsalias2@arcor.de> wrote in message
> news:pan.2004.12.18.16.29.48.367843@hphsite.de...
>
> Are there any as good never mind better

I can remember using Noise Ninja a couple of years back but wasn't impressed
(having read a review of several apps where NN came out best). My 60 day
trial of PSP9 expired last week so I reinstalled v8.10. I missed the DCNR
tool so much (amongst many other things) I rang up Jasc on Monday & bought
the PSP9 upgrade for 54.36 UKP. It was installed & updated by 9:30 this
morning - not bad this close to Xmas :) The only downside is that it appears
to be the International English version.

The noise filter with PSP9 is excellent as is the CA removal tool.