Tried to start FS9 after a few months of non use and got the following error message; "FS cannot run from a restricted user account and will now close. Please log on using an administrative account and restart." I don't know what prompted this because I'm listed as the Administrator on my computer and no one else uses it. I'm running FS9 on Windows XP with sp3. If anyone has had this problem or know of a fix please post a reply. Bill

While not usually a problem with XP you can set the shortcut to FS with a property of run as admin at the program level. I would also check any security applications both native and add-ons to insure FS9.exe is listed as a safe application with full access to all folders. Finally, be sure your there have been no restrictions of the FS9 folder or sub folders such as read-only.Make sure FS has access to the CD/DVD drive you installed it from and you have disk 4 loaded in it.

After much trial and error I was able to finally get FS9 to open and load. I unchecked the attributes of the config. file from "Read Only" and it loaded the way it did before I had the problem. Hope this helps anyone who runs across this problem.

I have also got this problem but I was unable to solve it using any of the above info, as my fs9.cfg was not showing as read only ! I am once again astonished by this Simulation/Game (FS2004) at how good and rewarding it can be, but also how infuriating it can be. This is now the 3rd time I have had some unfathomable problem, to which no one has come up with a cast iron solution.I am listed as the Administrator with full privileges and yet FS9 seems incapable of recognizing this fact!! I was using it less than an hour ago with no problems I hadn't installed/altered anything and everything was OK, and less than 3 hours later I get this stupid message about restricted user account etc.Finally even if I was a restricted user I should still be able to use this program, it's only a game for goodness sake, not some top secret info or bank account details etc.Microsoft should not have allowed this product to sold without testing it fully to avoid problems like this. So finally if anybody has managed to crack this one I would be very grateful.

I didn't know XP has Restricted User Accounts... I never have run into this issue with FS 9 (or with FS 2002 for that matter). I've only had FS 9 loaded for the last 6 months, but on a refurbished single core P4 (not a new fancy rig) with XP and SP3. Perhaps it could have something to do with a recent Windows Update? Maybe a recent add-on might be the culprit. Gresmond... are you even using XP? Alan

There are two security levels involved in application access. This became more involved with VISTA and Win 7 and even between 64 bit and 32 bit versions of the O/S. The distinctions are user privileges and program privilege levels. The right click on an .exe selecting to run as admin (or a property set up in a shortcut to it to do this) raises the program access privileges. In the O/S's mentioned applications in any Program Files folder tree on any partition (drive) has this additional protection and external applications requiring access to the folders and files in a Program File tree requires the higher program access level. It also affects getting into user folders as required. This is different than user access properties (a user with admin privileges). Sometimes you need both. A program can be coded to raise its privileges when approved by a user with admin rights. As an additional item of information it has been published that turning off User Access Rights in Win 7 does not turn off all user access restrictions as it did in VISTA. Now FS9 was coded before the program level restrictions were in place in VISTA and Win 7 so setting the program level access properties as noted might be required. The program level access does migrate down the pyramid of modules and gauges used by FS9 so that is a consideration in setting it for FS9. I believe certain installations of 64 bit Win XP have these restrictions as well.

In trying to solve the problem, I went through all kinds of fixes. I ran a full virus scan, scanned for malware, set aand reset user privilages, made sure the FS9 file was in the proper "documents and Settings" file etc. I also uninstalled IE 8 and reinstalled it thinking that a security update may have been the culprit. My final attempt was the uncheck "read only" box. What I'm trying to say is that anyone of the previously mentioned steps may have solved the problem or contributed to it's solution, I'm just not sure. I only know the last thing I tried was the "read only" thing. I hope you get it solved because I know how frustrating it can get when it doesn't work right.