WinXP--Can't limit my own user account--Explorer.exe runtime error

Hey all, I want to make my own user account limited (no administrative privileges) so that theoretically I can run a lighter antivirus/security package. I created a new user, gave it administrative rights, booted into it, and made my original user limited. But then I can't boot into the original user account. The desktop briefly loads, but then it gives me an Explorer.exe runtime error. If I click OK, the screen refreshes and then the error repeats as desired. If I go back into the new admin account and give admin rights back to the original user, it loads normally. What am I missing? FWIW I have a fingerprint reader and if I use it at the "select user" screen, it (correctly) will load the original user. I (temporarily?) uninstalled my antivirus, but a firewall (Online Armor) is running. I am 99% sure the computer is virus and malware free. Any insight into this would be gratefully appreciated.

 

Can you try and make a brand new, unused limited account and see if that works?

 

Yes, I just created one and booted into it no problem

PS, based on tips from other sites I have deleted all instances of existing "temporary internet files" from user account folders. Of course, the goal is to preserve the old account as my main account as all my settings, iTunes stuff etc. is in that old account.

 

I would have expected it to work fine.

What does the error message say? Did you try Googling the error message text?

 

I've always had troubles when changing the state of the ORIGINAL user account, so I always create an original admin account then a limited user account if needed.

 

Haha, I expected it NOT to work fine and I was right

Oh yeah, for about six hours. It says something like "C++ Runtime Error. The process explore.exe has asked the runtime to terminate in an unusual way." Of course I can't copy and paste the exact text. I can't find this problem on Google, although there are thousands of explore.exe runtime errors. The closest thing was someone whose problem was fixed by deleting the Temporary Internet Files for that account. But as I mentioned, that didn't work for me, in fact there weren't any as i use Firefox.

Yeah, now I know. It's not worth reinstalling the OS. I suppose I could set Online Armor to "run safer" with Outlook, Firefox etc. which basically strips those programs of admin rights. But I'd like to figure this out.

 

Well, just in case anyone's wondering... I did pretty much the same thing in Vista a couple months ago and it worked fine. I ran it as an admin user for a couple weeks, installed a bunch of programs, and then switched the user type to standard. I actually would recommend doing that as a nice workaround for programs that don't install/configure themselves cleanly in multiuser environments. But... that was Vista; I haven't tried it with XP. I also had a different set of programs installed, of course.