You can run MPLAB 7.xx under normal user account. Up to 
version 7.00, it is easy. After 7.01, it is a bit
more difficult but it can be done. Of course the driver 
and MPLAB still need to be installed by the administrators.

Please refer to the
http://forum.microchip.com/tm.asp?m=45142
http://forum.microchip.com/m.asp?m=86718 

In my case, I need to get the full control rights to 
"C:\program Files\Microchip" folder as well. This is
on my work PC with Windows XP Profession SP1.

Regards,
Xiaofan

******From http://forum.microchip.com/m.asp?m=86718

MPLAB versions - 7.01 and 7.10 
Module - Machines with USER privileges (non-admin rights). 

When you try to start MPLAB, the splash screen flashes by, 
but the application does not launch. This only occurs on 
machines with non-admin privileges. Note: Admin rights are 
required to install MPLAB, but should not be required to run MPLAB. 

Solution - The workaround is to modify the Target path on
the MPLAB shortcut and append the option -noswitch: 

"C:\Program Files\Microchip\MPLAB IDE\Core\MPLAB.exe" -noswitch

You can reach the target path by selecting the MPLAB icon on 
the desktop, right click properties, then selecting the shortcut tab. 


-----Original Message-----
From: piclist-bounces@mit.edu 
Sent: Thursday, October 20, 2005 3:18 AM
To: Microcontroller discussion list - Public.
Subject: Re: [PIC] ICD2 and USB

> For those of us who DON'T run as Admin is it a matter of giving the 
> correct privileges to the appropriate directories?

Sadly, no.  On Earlier versions of MPLAB that strategy worked well enough. 
But the ICD2, and maybe MPLAB 7.x, puts some files in various Windows 
directories.  I was unable to make it work by changing file protections, but

I may have missed some files buried there.

What I did was to make a shortcut that runs MPLAB as administrator.  It 
works just fine except for the irritation of typing in the root password 
whenever you launch MPLAB.  I have a user called root who has privileges. 
Just make a shortcut to

 %windir%\system32\RunAs.exe /user:root "yadyadyada\MPLAB.EXE"

and "Start in:" the MPLAB directory, and all works just dandy.

...
--McD
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