I've got a laptop with an OEM Windows XP Prof SP2 (not preinstalled, I 
installed it myself). The problem:
When I start a program with RunAs, then the program starts, but after the UI 
comes up, it inmediatly hangs, and turns to Not Responding state. The effect 
is the same both when started as the administrator user or as my own login. 
But I can start cmd.exe as a different user, and the command line programs 
work well in a different user's context.
Any advice?
Somebody mentioned, that this is due to the OEM version. Is this true? Does 
not OEM differ from retail version only in the type of license, the support 
you get, and whether you can use it for upgrade? Is there a functionality 
difference between the two version? If yes, then could somebody point out a 
link, where these differences are stated?
Thanks,
MiZo
In news:4EB9F3B6-80FE-42B3...@microsoft.com,
MiZo <Mi...@discussions.microsoft.com> typed:
OEM shouldn't have anything to do with it.
1. What program(s) show this symptom?
2. What user account are you using to runas? Meaning, are you on a network, 
and trying to run something that expects to access the network (domain), but 
not using a domain account?
3. Why are you using runas? 
In news:0111AC62-6816-47D3...@microsoft.com,
MiZo <Mi...@discussions.microsoft.com> typed:
> Hi!
>
>> 1. What program(s) show this symptom?
> So far everything: Internet Explorer, Total Commander, even
> Solitaire:)
>
>> 2. What user account are you using to runas? Meaning, are you on a
>> network, and trying to run something that expects to access the
>> network (domain), but not using a domain account?
> It is a stand-alone machine, it is not part of a domain. I'm logged
> on with a non-administrator user, and try to run a program as a local
> admin. But I get the same effect if I use run as, and give the
> currently logged on user's creditentials. And the same, if I'm logged
> on with the admin user, and use run as.
> I turned on security audit, and a successful login is in the security
> event log, when I use run as.
>
>> 3. Why are you using runas?
> I'm working with a non-administrator user, and I wanted to install
> something.
>
> Thanks,
> MiZo
To install software, I don't like runas. I either log in as the admin, log 
out & test as user - or if the app really needs to be installed for that 
user, I temporarily add that user to the admins group, log in as the user, 
install the software, and launch it once - then log back in as admin & 
remove the user from the admins group.
That said, it doesn't explain why your apps are hanging when you try to 
launch them using runas. Do your event logs give you any clues?