# Locking certain programs from other users? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 6, 2004, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locking-certain-programs-from-other-users/222912 "2004-01-06T00:02:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locking-certain-programs-from-other-users/222912/1 "2004-01-06T00:02:06Z")
I just installed iTunes, but I don’t want other users being able to use it. How do I work this? ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locking-certain-programs-from-other-users/222912/2 "2004-01-06T00:22:37Z")
OS? ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locking-certain-programs-from-other-users/222912/3 "2004-01-06T00:27:33Z")
XP, sorry. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locking-certain-programs-from-other-users/222912/4 "2004-01-06T01:56:38Z")
In XP each user can and should have his own account and can have his own programs which are only accessible to him. Do you all use the same account? ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locking-certain-programs-from-other-users/222912/5 "2004-01-06T02:47:42Z")
Nope, different. However, I installed the program, and it shows up in theirs. Actually, though, I figured out the problem. I (stupid me, stuck on previous versions) keep installing stuff in C:\Program Files instead of my folder. That should fix it, I guess, right? I’ll have to try tomorrow, as I’m no longer home. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locking-certain-programs-from-other-users/222912/6 "2004-01-06T02:56:53Z")
Yes, I think the trick is to install it in your own Program Files folder and not in the shared one. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locking-certain-programs-from-other-users/222912/7 "2004-01-06T03:30:51Z")
Don’t forget to make sure the shortcut is only available from just your desktop configuration. Go to C:\Documents and Settings\ and make sure the shortcut is in C:\Documents and Settings<your-account-name\>\Desktop ---
**Author:** ![aerodave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f08c70/32.png) [@aerodave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aerodave)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locking-certain-programs-from-other-users/222912/8 "2004-01-06T04:09:18Z")
That still doesn’t seem right. Some programs offer a choice during installation of having it installed as accessible to all users, or to just one. There’s something inherently different about the install in that case. Maybe it’s just location, but who knows. Anyway, with XP, you should be able to set file permissions on individual key files…like the main .exe for the program. Just turn off read ability for everyone but yourself. This requires an NTFS partition, and “Easy File Sharing” or whatever it’s called turned off. ---
**Author:** ![si\_blakely](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locking-certain-programs-from-other-users/222912/9 "2004-01-06T12:17:09Z")
XP does not have a personal “Program Files” - there can be only one. However, applications can install shortcut icons into the All Users profile or into the users profile. Take a look in C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs - cut the iTunes icon. Then browse to C:\Documents and Settings<username\>\Start Menu\Programs and paste the icon. Do the same with the desktop icons. This will not stop anyone else from running iTunes from C:\Program Files. To do this, you need to follow audilover’s advice. Simon ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locking-certain-programs-from-other-users/222912/10 "2004-01-06T13:27:34Z")
Assuming you have adminstrator privileges, and that you enforce a logon password, you can set security to the XP folder so that other users can’t access it. Right click on the folder and select “Sharing and Security.” You can deny access to other users. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locking-certain-programs-from-other-users/222912/11 "2004-01-06T15:28:41Z")
Am I right in thinking that you can’t turn off easy file sharing in XP home? ---
**Author:** ![aerodave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f08c70/32.png) [@aerodave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aerodave)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locking-certain-programs-from-other-users/222912/12 "2004-01-06T16:26:30Z")
**Mangetout** , I’m not sure. I only have XP Home on one laptop, not the desktop I use most of the time. Also, I’m not at home to check it out. If no one else comes up with the answer first, I’ll let you know. ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locking-certain-programs-from-other-users/222912/13 "2004-01-06T17:16:16Z")
Here’s a recent thread on a similar topic: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=231543](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=231543)