allowing download

A limited account will allow a user to access the internet to download. If this is through dial-up, you need to save the username/password logon information in your admin account first, then test the limited account.

If this account has already been created and the above doesn't work, save any needed info from the account then delete and recreate the account.

Yep by default any user should be able to do this.

To lock a system down use the Windows policy editor: http://www.windowsnetworking.com/articles_tutorials/winxpgpe.html

This will let you set exactly what the system and user can and can't do.

Downloading stuff would not be the problem. A user needs Admin rights to the computer to modify the registry in places that effect other users. It's nearly impossible to determine that from one software package to another. The advantage of NOT giving users admin rights is that virus damage is limited to files and registry locations the user has rights to. That is the real reason we are such a pain in everybodys butt - it's for their (and everybodys) protection.

I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM YOU HAD FEW YEAR BACK, PLEASE ADVICE IF YOU CAME RIGHT I want to grant a user on win xp pro standalone computer, permission to download stuff from internet, without giving any administrative permission