How to allow non-admin users to install programs?

I want to allow my wife and other users who are not Admins to install programs without requiring my admin password on Win 7.

I've tried to find this in the control panel, but I can't find anywhere where I can manage the users controls other than switching them from a standard to a admin user (which I don't want).

Is there a way to do this? I.e., whenever a plugin (like Adobe flash or whatever) needs to be installed I don't want her not to be able to install it...

Thx

 

Is there a reason why your wife isn't a trusted user? (No offense meant there)... There are options in the Local Security Policy that would enable you to delegate special permissions to her, but in effect you would be granting her, basically, Admin status. In Windows it's not quite so clear cut so as to allow a non-admin to install apps/drivers without requiring an Admin's password everytime. The easiest way to allow this would to be to just change her to an Admin, turn up the UAC level, and clean up the mess afterwards if there is any. Windows 7 with UAC couldn't get her into trouble that is beyond cleaning up, unless she (or the others) is intentionally trying to bring hades to your Windows installation.

 

I have a better solution that has worked for me... let her get her own damn computer.

 

Why would Windows let non-admins to install programs? This violates the whole point of secure computing with the limited user account.

 

We typically keep my account on password as I have all the banking files, etc. so I keep that drive locked, but an admin can enter it I believe. But I guess I could add her as an admin and just create a "guest" account for anyone who uses the computer.

So really I guess I just wanted to lock out a drive from all but the Admin user. But couldn't figure out how to do that, so made her a non-admin and then realized she couldn't install any add-ons, etc. A bit of a pain as I recently switched browsers so plug-ins come up a lot in the first little while.