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Currently on our ward computer we have separate user accounts for each position for who uses MLS. We are running Windows XP.

Each account is in the Administrators group I believe to allow for MLS to update itself.

I'd like to only have 1 Admin account so others won't accidentally mess with network settings or other software installs. I'd prefer to not use Power Users either.

What file permissions would have to be enabled on the MLS directory to permit this? Should I just enable full permissions on the entire MLS folder? Are there any other folders I have to get as well?

rbeede wrote:Currently on our ward computer we have separate user accounts for each position for who uses MLS. We are running Windows XP.

Each account is in the Administrators group I believe to allow for MLS to update itself.

I'd like to only have 1 Admin account so others won't accidentally mess with network settings or other software installs. I'd prefer to not use Power Users either.

What file permissions would have to be enabled on the MLS directory to permit this? Should I just enable full permissions on the entire MLS folder? Are there any other folders I have to get as well?

The official installation instructions say to use a single account which must be an administrator account. You're welcome to experiment with lesser permissions, but there is no documentation that would guide you -- I'm guessing you would be doing a lot of trial and error.

And as you noted, MLS updates require administrator permissions. This was recently confirmed by a Church employee in this post. I doubt that it is simply a matter of file permissions. With a nonstandard installation, you also run the risk of reducing your support options -- you may not find Local Unit Support to be very anxious to help you troubleshoot any problems you may have. But if you understand all that and still choose to proceed, then it could be an interesting research project for which others would appreciate hearing the results.

rbeede wrote:What file permissions would have to be enabled on the MLS directory to permit this? Should I just enable full permissions on the entire MLS folder? Are there any other folders I have to get as well?

I have done some limited testing with MLS in Windows XP. Setting the permissions for the C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\LDS Church\MLS folder and all child folders as well as the backup location, C:\data-backup by default, to Modify for Users will take care of a majority of MLS use situations.

The real problem encountered is the update of MLS during send/receives. I have not looked into this in any detail since I have had no reason to do so. I suspect that any update requires the Windows Installer Service and registry key(s) permissions of an administrator. The little research I have done on this indicates that there are methods to overcome this. But it looked to me to be something the software updater, in this case the MLS developers, would have to permit.

It is the lack of control of when updates will come and how many times other MLS users have opted to defer an update that can create serious problems. Most MLS updates sent through a send/receive can be deferred three times before it will be transmitted and installed on the fourth send/receive without option to cancel by the MLS user. Some updates have been pushed through effectively bypassing this end user option to defer an update.

I would not want to risk losing access to MLS or even loss of data because of a software update that could not be completed.

Part of MLS install is the installation of a separate instance of Java. And there are times when that is updated. That's where I think that's where you can run into problems trying to install with less than Admin permissions.

I'll add that this has been discussed a few time before. None of us are happy about having MLS users have Admin privileges to Windows, but the alternative is to be a unpaid, unsupported tester. Not worth it to me.