From now to forever, I will install first as Administrator, then test the program/game as Admin, and then try to open it as a user with no admin rights, and if it does not appear to be registered to my restricted user ID's, I will then run Setup again under those user IDs.

Well running Setup the second time will probably fail/crash unless the second time the account also has administrator privileges. The problem in a nutshell - the setup tries to update both global (needing admin) and local (current user) settings in the same process. If the user running the setup isn't an admin - the attempt to update global (HKLM & HKCR) will likely fail.

@frank, This program the "Setup" also tries to perform the same function as the usual "Activate" - it just doesn't do it correctly.

Data that is expected to be stored for the "current user" is stored under "Admins" data - because the "current user" is "Admin" when Setup is run. Then when you try to run the program as yourself - that information is nowhere to be found (under your "current user data") - because it is stashed in "Admins" settings. So the program tells you it isn't registered.

Hi dears!
BuBBy wrote: "...Running Activate while logged in as "Glenn" will fix this."
VampireR quote: "I will then run Setup again under those user IDs."

I understand to run "Activate" not "Setup" !!
frank

Thank You BuBBy!
I should have said that I'm using Win XP SP2. And I realize that this is no fault of GAOTD, but is the way the programs are written.

Your instructions seem to have worked with today's game, Destiny Architect, but not with BeeIcons. The nature of BeeIcons is interfering, I suppose. I do so wish I had asked this much earlier, as it has been a pain all along.

From now to forever, I will install first as Administrator, then test the program/game as Admin, and then try to open it as a user with no admin rights, and if it does not appear to be registered to my restricted user ID's, I will then run Setup again under those user IDs.

There is a fix - activate from each of the user accounts you would like to run the program.

Settings relate either to the "current user" or the "local machine".

All users (including "Administrator" have "per-user settings").

Local Machine settings can only be modified by "Administrators"

In this case BeeIcons uses "per user settings" - so running activate only registers the program for the "Administrator user". Then logging in as "Glenn" (who cannot read "Administrators" settings) the program appears to not be registered. Running Activate while logged in as "Glenn" will fix this.

There are ways to get around this type of circus when running Vista. The easiest being to completely disable UAC. (Then "Glenn" can also modify "Local Machine" settings - thereby no longer requiring the "RunAs Administrator" for Activates that change "Local Machine" settings).

To be honest where a program stores its settings or preferences is not influenced by GOTD at all. 100% of this software design brilliance lies with the developer (and to some extent Microsoft).

IMO, the best programs all seem to require no changes to the registry or files outside the install folder. Fully self contained. Can move them anywhere to any pc and they work 100%. To uninstall? Simply delete the program folder and any icons off the desktop. Can't ask for better than that!

This is part of a comment by Glenn, on BeeIcons:
"I installed it and ran it under my admin profile with no problems. But when using a non-admin profile, the program is not registered. Why is the registration information set-up as a local user rather than a local machine key within the registry?"

I also have this problem with FileMarker, a previous giveaway from the same company. It seems that programs that change your desktop should keep separate data files for EACH user.

I also have this problem with other programs and many games I have gotten from GAOTD. (I'm sure the source -GAOTD- is not the problem, but the way the programs are written or installed.) It's a hassle to remember to use RunAs whenever I open them. Is there a fix for this or is it just poor programming with which I must live?