Difference between Power user and Administrator

Question

What would be the differences between a power user and administrator user?

Solution

I assume you mean in a Windows system. Here's the full list from Microsoft:

Basically, Power Users can:

• Run legacy applications, in addition to Windows 2000 or Windows XP Professional certified applications.
• Install programs that do not modify operating system files or install system services.
• Customize systemwide resources including printers, date, time, power options, and other Control Panel resources.
• Create and manage local user accounts and groups.
• Stop and start system services which are not started by default.

Power Users do not have permission to add themselves to the Administrators group. Power Users do not have access to the data of other users on an NTFS volume, unless those users grant them permission.

Comments

[Piper]

What's a legacy application?

[bfhd]

Legacy application means essentially 'old' application. Usually it's referring to DOS applications.

[Alex]

Create and manage local user accounts and groups. - doesn't this mean they could create a user and add them to Administrator group? Or create a group that has admin rights? The first 3 points can be done by any regular user (except maybe Guest).

[Foo Bar]

Note: in Windows 7 and above, Power Users only exists for legacy purposes, and is the same as ordinary Users, unless an admin explicitly adds extra rights to the group. serverfault.com/questions/525880/…