r/sysadmin • u/Ok-Bench-1259 • 12d ago

Question Controls/Automation software question

Hello All

I'm installing a program for my controls department. The program is "KMC Connect", with it comes a sub-program utility that comes bundled with the software.

The sub-program utility in this case is , "Configure BACstat". The program only shows up when logged into as a local admin but when I'm logged into a standard user account (the technician who will be using this account). The program is not available.

I don't want to give the user local admin rights to run the program.

Is the only solution to make the user a local admin?

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u/Abe_Bazouie 12d ago

I wouldn’t make them local admin yet.
First figure out whether the program actually requires admin rights, or whether it was just installed only for your admin profile.
Log in as the standard user and check whether the executable exists under Program Files / Program Files (x86) and try launching it directly.
Also check where the shortcut was created. Some installers dump shortcuts under the installing user’s profile instead of the all-users Start Menu, which makes the app look like it “isn’t installed” for anyone else.
If the executable launches fine as a standard user, just fix the shortcut/install scope.
If it launches but throws permission errors, then find out what it’s trying to write to. Sometimes it’s something dumb like needing write access to a folder under Program Files, a registry key, COM port, service, etc.
I’d rather grant the specific permission it needs than give someone permanent local admin.
And if the vendor truly requires local admin just to run the utility, I’d be asking them why before accepting that design. :)))

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u/Ok-Bench-1259 11d ago

I can tell you that the executable is visible to the standard user if I go into the "Program Files (x86). I launched it directly from there as the standard user and it doesn't do anything. The cursor buffers for a second and that's all.

Dumb question but how do you figure out what it's writing too?