Problem:
Recently, when I was trying to run an InfoPath form (.xsn file) as different user from a client vista machine, which doesn't have the SQL server database access which the InfoPath form needs.
The problem is more specific to InfoPath (as it allows only two types of authentication to SQL Server through InfoPath (NT and SQL User).So when you design InfoPath form to use NT access which is not a SQL User, it must run InfoPath natively as the NT user who have access rights on SQL User. But if you design InfoPath form to use a SQL User account, any NT user can access the SQL Server using the InfoPath.
But this solution is generic for any file (not just .exe or xsn file).
First, here is the screenshot when you try to access without using run as but enter the required user credentials using InfoPath.
so, when you use the checkbox, it takes the credentials of logged user(which will be YOU), where you/customer may not have access on the database directly.
When we don't use the checkbox, it will become a SQL authentication. If the credentials you are entering is not a SQL user on the database.it won’t authenticate.
Solutions:
So, what are the alternatives?
1) Login to the machine as the same NT user who have access
2) Use “runas” feature, which is not straight forward.
Now, I will talk about the 2nd solution which I mentioned.
Download ShellRunAs exe file from sysinternals site.
here is the commandline to open the file. You give the path of client application which opens that file type (in my case I MUST mention the path of InfoPath exe. Without that it wont work. for ex: if you are opening notepad, you must mention the notepad in the command line argument)
Then it will prompt you to enter credentials using which you will get NT user access to the Database.
so, this kind of things can be applied to any client applications, which needs actual NT authentication without switching users on your vista machine.
HTH