Miscellaneous Utilities : Desktops.exe with Run as...

Author: tamas.karacsony
Subject: Desktops.exe with Run as...
Posted: 05 July 2017 at 12:37pm

Hi!

I am using desktops.exe for a while and I have a special (i think) case: on my home computer I use it on windows 7 for very-fast-user-switching.
Usally my girlfriend is logged in with her user account and sometimes I want to do something on that computer.
For this case I have started desktops.exe in her account with Run as.. and with my user credentials.
So when I switch to the second desktop I get a desktop that seems almost if I really switched to my profile.
(explorer.exe owned by girlfriend launches desktops.exe owned by me launches exporer.exe owned by me)
I see my taskbar and my icons on the desktop, I can use them with my user account as usual, but:
- the desktop wallpaper does not change
- I cannot open any explorer window or the control panel (with interesting error messages)
but:
- from any application I can explorer files as usual with save as.. or open dialogs

I would like to ask about the security context of this situation.
Why I cannot open explorer windows?
Why does not change wallpaper?
What is the difference between creating a desktop like this and really switching to that user?
What is 'behind' the visible desktop that is part of a user's session but not controlled by the desktop? (And therefore cannot emulate with desktops.exe)

Thanks,
Tamas


Edited by tamas.karacsony - 1 hour 26 minutes ago at 12:39pm