Limited user install - what should the default location be?

[Chris]

The next release of Cirrus will have an installer option to install for the current user. If the current user does not have administrative rights, the default install location will not be under "c:\program files".

We've done some research, but it isn't clear where programs should be installed when users don't have administrative rights.

The location we've come up with is "c:\documents and settings\<username>\Local Settings\Application Data\Cirrus".

This location should be writable by a limited user, and it shouldn't be synchronized when using roaming profiles.

Is this a good default location to use for limited users? Or is there another preferred location?

Thank you for your feedback and suggestions.

[Michael Bulgrien]

I can't think of a better location.

[RunnerBiker]

I agree that is probably the correct location given the lack of ADMIN rights.

Will the installation script warn the installer that they don't have ADMIN rights and explain the significance of installaing for a single user instead of all users and possibly suggest they abort and restart the installation with an account that has ADMIN rights?

[Craig]

Will the installation script warn the installer that they don't have ADMIN rights and explain the significance of installaing for a single user instead of all users and possibly suggest they abort and restart the installation with an account that has ADMIN rights?

It doesn't currently. The installer got a pretty extensive overhaul for the next release though, so we will be interested in feedback on it. The program is fully functional in a limited user install though, so I'm not sure warrants a big warning about it.

[Michael Bulgrien]

I agree that a warning would not be necessary. However, What if a user were to uninstall a "limited user" installation, and re-install with admin rights? Would everything get carried over (license, configurations, saved sessions, etc.)?

[Craig]

Yes. Unless you're using a portable (aka single-directory) install, everything is stored in %AppData%.