First off, 1.0.0.5 is the *oldest* version available (it's the original
retail CD release version from 1998) .. the latest downloadable version
is 1.1.1.0.

Access Rights in Win NT OS's isn't as simple as file permissions, but
levels of access on all win2k resources (This includes the ability to
read/write/excecute other windows resources & services such as DirectX,
network services and even access to your hardware)...  I don't know
exactly what resources HL uses in Win2k, but obviously there are some
which are restricted for "Users" group.  You'll just have to change all
your Users to Power Users.

--
Ben Cottrell AKA Bench

"Computer games don't affect kids; I mean if Pac-Man affected us as
kids, we'd all be running around in darkened rooms, munching magic pills
and listening to repetitive electronic music." - Kristian Wilson,
Nintendo, Inc, 1989

I analyzed this problem using Win2K's auditing features some time ago,
and figured out a solution.

It's been a while since I've needed to perform the mod, but it's pretty
much like this:

 1. Go into REGEDT32 (on NT4 and W2K, REGEDIT won't do).

 2. Select HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Aureal/A3D.

 3. Invoke "Security/Permissions..." from the pulldown menu.

 4. Click the "Advanced" button.

 5. "Edit" the entry for "Power Users".  Note which flags are selected --
    then leave without changing.

 6. "Edit" the entry for Users.  Set all flags that were set for Power Users.
    (there may have been confirmation prompts here)

 7. The Users entry should split into two -- one entry giving the old
    permissions (which is actually inherited from elsewhere in the
    tree), and a new one buffing up those priveledges to the Power User
    level.

I don't know enough to say whether this procedure opens any holes that
would allow a User to escalate to Power User abilities in other spheres,
so do this at your own risk.  Still, it should be safer than just giving
out Power User rights directly.

With this out of the way, HL will no longer silently die when run by
peons.  However, you also need to address the issue of appropriate
permissions on the HL files.  Which is a pain, since HL scatters data that
really belongs in the per-user registry throughout the mod-specific
directories.

Giving Full Control of the HL directories to Users will allow them to
play, but is a security hazard if people with better priviledges also
play, since a user could replace hl.exe (among other files) with a trojan.
You can trust your players of course, but then why not give them PU
rights?

The proper way to do it is, IMO:

  1. Make the Half-Life directory read-only to Users (or "Everyone"),
and flush out any explicit permissions on the subsidiary files.

  2. Grant Modify priviledge for each mod directory (valve, tfc, dmc,
etc.) applying to itself and all subfiles.  The "logos" and "gldrv"
directories can be left alone.

  3. (The boring bit) select every file within the per-mod directories
that is not supposed to change (generally, all except *.cfg, pldecal.wad,
custom.hpk, voice_ban.dt, SAVE, Maps), and block inherited permissions for
those files.  Give only read access to Users/Everyone here.  Repeat for
the Maps directory -- it contains readonly files, but HL likes to scribble
in it sometimes, especially if local bots are in use.

(Note that Steam, which I don't use, probably changes the rules
completely.)

---- Michael Deutschmann <michael@talamasca.ocis.net>