Problem with KODAK Easyshare in a limited account

[Tan DJ]

Hi,

I am running kodak easyshare software V6.0.1.20 on Windows XP Pro SP2, and have recently come across a problem that I thought someone here may have come across a solution for.

In the past few weeks, I have changed the account type of the user account I normally use from an Administrative account to a Limited one. Now, when I turn on my camera while plugged in to the computer via USB, I receive a pop-up window from Kodak Easyshare saying "Cannot get the device information." If I change the account type back to an Administrative Account, it works fine.

Does anyone have any experience getting the Kodak EasyShare software working from a limited account in Win XP?

I have a service call open with Kodak, but they are taking their time.

Regards,

Tan DJ

 

[Jimmy 2004]

Their Easyshare isn't the best built software I've used. You could try running the program as an administrator but I'm not sure if that would work (right click and then "Run As"). I'm not sure if the fault is with the easyshare software or the limits that XP will place to prevent programs infecting the PC in limited acounts. How long have you waited for the service call?

 

[Tan DJ]

Actually it's only about a week since I contacted them, and they said "Please call <phone number> so we can discuss it as it is a complicated problem to fix."

No one was there when I called after hours, and I couldn't contact them from work as I don't have the software at work. However, I have a day off to day, so I'll take the opportunity to call them and see what they have to say.

 

[Tan DJ]

Hmmm.... Jut got off the phone to Kodak Support, and they say that I have to run it from an administrative account. I shutdown Kodak Easyshare software, and restarted it using the "Run as" option, and this seems to work fine, except that it set the transfer directory to the "My Pictures" folder of the Administrative user I ran it as, instead of my "My Pictures" folder.

They also said that they would pass the matter onto their 2nd level support to see if there was a method to run it from a Limited account.

So how do I get Kodak Easy Share to start up as an administrative user when it runs from my startup folder?

 

[Jimmy 2004]

If you have XP pro there might be some way of doing it by going to "Run" and typing "gpedit.msc". Take a look at this, it's the best I can find.

 

[W1zzard]

you can use the runas program in a batch file

 

[Tan DJ]

...
Take a look at this, it's the best I can find.

YES!! That did it! I created a VB script as specified by the above link. It worked perfectly from a link on my desk top that I clicked, but it still asked for the password when I had it in the Startup folder. I increased the sleep in the script from 100 to 1000 and this fixed that problem.

Thanks!

Now to wait and see if Kodak fixes the problem so I don't have to run Kodak Easy Share as an administrative user.

 

[Jimmy 2004]

YES!! That did it! I created a VB script as specified by the above link. It worked perfectly from a link on my desk top that I clicked, but it still asked for the password when I had it in the Startup folder. I increased the sleep in the script from 100 to 1000 and this fixed that problem.

Thanks!

Now to wait and see if Kodak fixes the problem so I don't have to run Kodak Easy Share as an administrative user.

Glad it worked, hope Kodak can find you a better solution but I wouldn't be sure... maybe in a future release.

 

[shredhead]

I get the same error but mine is an administrator account. This error is a new one for me. I transferred photos no problem a few weeks ago. Thinking it may fix the problem I upgraded the Easyshare today to their latest version. No help.... any ideas?

 

[Tan DJ]

Still got my call open with Kodak. Their 2nd level technical support keeps trying to call me when I'm at work. But I can't solve the problem from there. I'm home tomorrow, maybe they'll call me then.

 

[shredhead]

After messing around with it a bit, I decided the best thing for me is to uninstall Easyshare.

Now when I plug the camera into the USB port I get some wizard Windows generates and I can move the photos into the folder I want them. Since I don't use Kodak's site when I order prints, that's good enough for me.

Another thing I noticed when I was still using Easyshare... there was a process (system tray application) taking about 30MB of memory. Seems rather extreme when that is just to monitor whether or not there are software updates!

 

[Tan DJ]

Just got off the phone to Kodak support...

"You need to change the account so that it has permissions to run Kodak Easy Share... Oh, hang on, you have Windows XP Pro. It only has two account types - 'Limited' and 'Administrative'. This method only works with XP Home. You'll need to change your account type to an Administrative one."​

It appears that user management is different between XP Home and XP Pro. Not having XP Home I can't verify this difference. Does this make sence to anyone? Does XP Pro have a more comprensive user/group management? Or does the "runas" option mentioned in previous replies provide this functionality?

(Comming from a Unix world, I sometimes get very frustrated with how Microsoft has implemented their OS)

 

[Jimmy 2004]

I think the only user account types you can have in Home are Administrator, Limited or Guest. I didn't think there were any more in either edition, but you would expect Pro to have more options. In other words, Kodak can't be bothered to find a proper solution for you.

 

[Tan DJ]

I think the only user account types you can have in Home are Administrator, Limited or Guest. I didn't think there were any more in either edition, but you would expect Pro to have more options. In other words, Kodak can't be bothered to find a proper solution for you.

Yeah, That's what I tried to tell them. I kept trying to say "can you raise a Bug Report to get your developers to fix the next version of Easy Share software so that it will run correctly in a limited account" But he kept saying that it was a Microsoft problem and that I should contact Microsoft Tech support to get them to fix the OS.

"the window in my car doesn't go up and down properley." "Why don't you see if the engine can be fixed so that the window will work correctly?"

 

[cout]

kodak & windows registry

You can make this work using Windows security policy editor. Give the users of your machine access to install devices. However this sort of defeats the purpose of restricting add/remove device access to limited accounts on your system, which is a compromise. I also had to give the local users of the machine access to the 'Kodak' registry keys in the LM/Software part of the registry. The problem is that a limited user account doesnt have access to create or own a newly plugged-in device.

By doing these two things, we've basically given the users administrative access to the device manager of the machine, and also given them access to botch the Kodak software registry keys (provided they have access to run regedit)

For the home users, the same should apply. Kodak has no fix. Had we called Microsoft we would need to ask the right questions such as 'i have a problem where the limited accounts on my machine dont have access to install devices properly' rather than 'i have have a problem with kodak's software' in which case they would simply tell you to call kodak.

There's no good solution for this problem.

 

[Jimmy 2004]

You can make this work using Windows security policy editor. Give the users of your machine access to install devices. However this sort of defeats the purpose of restricting add/remove device access to limited accounts on your system, which is a compromise. I also had to give the local users of the machine access to the 'Kodak' registry keys in the LM/Software part of the registry. The problem is that a limited user account doesnt have access to create or own a newly plugged-in device.

By doing these two things, we've basically given the users administrative access to the device manager of the machine, and also given them access to botch the Kodak software registry keys (provided they have access to run regedit)

For the home users, the same should apply. Kodak has no fix. Had we called Microsoft we would need to ask the right questions such as 'i have a problem where the limited accounts on my machine dont have access to install devices properly' rather than 'i have have a problem with kodak's software' in which case they would simply tell you to call kodak.

There's no good solution for this problem.

I don't think you can use the security policy editor in Windows XP Home, so that would only work for Pro - I see what you're getting at, but I agree it defeats the object of limited accounts to some extent.

 

[cout]

hmm this is true

Yes that's true you can't use gpedit in XP Home..so that would leave me out of ideas for the home users..sorry I couldnt be more help to those people.

 

[TheShadowFL]

After reading this forum, I know that there's at least one person here who shares my views on Kodak Easy Share software.

Descriptive names for it include, garbage, poorly written, invasive, .....oh well you get the idea.

I've found that software to be as destructive as almost any virus I could name.
Over the past year or two I've had countless calls from my customers, saying that someone had put Easy Share on their computer to display some photos and then the computer was like fried.

XP will open a CD or camera flash card and display your pictures for you. You can then move them into special folders or drop them into an editing program. For anyone knowing their way around XP, Easy Share is redundant.

I have to remove it from customer's PC's quite often. Just one more P.O.C. for the old Bit Bucket.

Cheers Mates!
The Shadow

 

[volleyballer]

I'm having the same problem. I've got a new Dell computer with Windows XP Home, I think. I was able to download my Kodak EasyShare pics with my internal memory, but not with my SD card. Now I can't download pics onto my computer at all! It always says "Cannot get the device information." I'm frustrated as this is a new camera and all I want to do is put the pics in the computer! I've uninstalled and reinstalled the software twice already. Nothing is working.

I've tried running as Administrator, but I don't get that option. I've emailed EasyShare customer support, but I want something done now. Any suggestions, besides breaking the camera.

 

[Tan DJ]

I'm having the same problem. I've got a new Dell computer with Windows XP Home, I think. I was able to download my Kodak EasyShare pics with my internal memory, but not with my SD card. Now I can't download pics onto my computer at all! It always says "Cannot get the device information." I'm frustrated as this is a new camera and all I want to do is put the pics in the computer! I've uninstalled and reinstalled the software twice already. Nothing is working.

I've tried running as Administrator, but I don't get that option. I've emailed EasyShare customer support, but I want something done now. Any suggestions, besides breaking the camera.

The Shadow has the right idea I think. Uninstall Kodak Easy Share! I don't use it any more. Freed up 30Mb of ram on my running computer!

 

[Sn00wCat]

Nevermind, I don't have a question anymore. Thank you to everyone who discussed this problem, though.

 

[kodakEasyshare]

found a work around

Win XP Pro SP2 with limited user account results in "Cannot get device information"
Using the latest Kodak EasyShare v6.4
It took me a long time but I've got it working with restricted user account.
I've found the following kb article from Kodak's site:

To switch from the Kodak driver to the Windows driver, do the following:

Connect the camera to the computer.
Turn on the camera.
If you are using a Kodak camera or printer dock, do the following:
Place the camera on the dock.
Press the Transfer button.
Click Cancel in any windows that appear.
Open the Device Manager:
Right-click My Computer and select Properties.
In the System Properties window, select the Hardware tab.
Click Device Manager.
Click the plus sign (+) in front of imaging devices (or under Kodak camera if you are using a version of Kodak EasyShare software earlier than 3.0). The camera appears.
Right-click the camera and select Update Driver.
When Can Windows connect to Windows Update to search for software? appears, select No, not this time.
Click Next.
Select Install from a list or specific location (Advanced), and then click Next.
Select Digital Still Camera, and then click Next.
When the program selection window appears, select Kodak EasyShare software.
Select Always use this program for this action, and then click OK to transfer your pictures.
NOTE: This procedure prevents future uploading of files or information to the camera, including firmware, address book updates, and new albums features.

Hope this help someone. I didn't find any solution from any site.

 

[Tan DJ]

So, the kodak driver is the one that's not "compatible"

 

[dagwood387]

Ok I just found this forum- I just started having this problem today "cant get the device information" After reading the posts here I figured Id just un-install the easyshare program. It wont let me unless Im an "administrator"- BUT when I right click and select "run as"- administrator isn't one of the options- Im not REAL computer saavy so any suggestions how I can get it to let me run as administrator?
Thanks

 

[Tan DJ]

When I select the runas option I get:

In the "Following User" section, you need to select a user that has administrator rights on your computer. It won't necessarly be called "Administrator".

Also, if your user account has administrator priveleges, you wont need to use the runas option.