An unidentified program wants access to your computer
Vista offers a new feature which is called User Account Control. User Account Control, abbreviated UAC, separates user and admin permissions in Windows Vista which increases security. It basically ensures that malicious programs can't be run using administrative privileges without them being first looked at and accepted by the user of the system.
This is great if security is concerned but really painful if you are running programs on a daily basis that require administrative privileges.
Everton from Connected Internet asked if there was a way to run Winrar without the prompt "an unidentified program wants access to your computer". Imagine having to run programs such as Winrar several times a day, always having to allow it to be run on your computer.
There is no obvious way to always allow the application which means that you basically have two choices:
You can disable the User Account Control function completely which disables the complete security feature in Windows Vista. This has the advantage that you will not get prompted if you want to run or install programs that require admin privileges.
The second option would be to change the behavior in the Local Security Settings Microsoft Management Console. I will explain how to do both and start with the easier but more radical one: Disabling the User Account Control feature in Windows Vista.
Disabling User Account Control:
- Press Windows + R, enter msconfig and hit enter.
- Select the Tools tab
- Find Disable UAC / Disable UAP
- Click on Launch
- Restart the Computer
As I said earlier this is a very radical way. If you have the choice use the second method instead which leaves User Account Control enabled and tinkers just a bit with some settings of it.
Customizing User Account Control:
- Press Windows + R, enter secpol.msc and hit enter
- Click on Security Settings
- Local Policies
- Security Options
- Double-click User Account Control: Behavior of the elevation prompt for administrators in Admin Approval Mode
- Choose Elevate without prompting
- Click ok
This setting becomes immediately active. I suggest you try if it is working by launching a program that prompted for allowance before. It should now start without asking you for it.
Update: Microsoft has updated the feature in recent versions of Windows so that it is less obtrusive and in your face. While you will still see prompts every now and then, you won't be bombarded with dozens of them every day anymore.
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thanks – will feature this on my site lol
Bollocks to all that…
How ’bout I just not buy this crapware.
Webbster we can make this choice but many users can’t. They get a new pc that comes with Windows Vista and simply do not know that there are other operating systems.
was just about to do this. Quick question – what does elevate without prompting actually do?
Everton it simply means that the prompt if you want to allow the program or not does not show up anymore which means it always allows the execution. (if you are logged in as admin that is)
When I try the secpol.msc i get the message “windows cannot find secpol.msc….” I am running vista home premium.. any Ideas???
Is there a way to disable the message from displaying for a single executable? When customers install the software I have created I do not want this message to display for them every time. I want to disable it for my setup.exe but do not want to turn off UAC for them. Thank you.
Doesn’t work for me. Still getting the prompt. I’m the only user and I am an administrator.
The 3rd party software I want to use has to be run in XP compatibility mode with administrator privileges.
As usual those wonderful people at Microsoft have nobbled us home users by purposely removing secpol.msc from Home versions
I entered secpol.msc but Vista said it could not find it. End of your advice.
Well then you might be running Vista Home where secpol.msc is not included. Thank Microsoft for that.
Sorry I should have said. This is a new install of Vista 64bit on a newly built machine. My problem is with trusted Asus monitoring software downloaded for this board. Is there somewhere that this item should be listed?
I don’t understand your question Nigel. What exactly do you want to do ?
Hi Martin,
I read all these comments. i am facing the same problem.. and this message always prompts me when i try using Google TALK. and secpol.msc could not be found… says windows… plz help.. :-(
sweet. it worked… i think…
this was very use fullllllll
>> thanx for information
i am having the same problem. I also have vista which does not have this second step function. Is there any one who knows how to run eq2 with a huawei model e226 usb modem? I played with dsl/cable internet no problem but am having connection issues. On launchpad, at connecting it says ‘network error – cannot connect to network, please try again later’ I thought it might be my internet security, so i uninstalled and reinstalled, added this internet and the game to administrator limits, and still no luck. So I thought since this allow or cancel security screen pops up and neither internet or the game now is identified, I could use some help, maybe this will fix the problem. But like the rest, vista doesn’t have secpol …. what do I do?
To all you Home Premium Users:
Here is how to set UAC to elevate to admin withouth prompting:
– Press Windows + R, enter mmc and hit enter.
– Select FILE -> ADD/REMOVE SNAP-IN
– Add following snap-ins: Security configuration And Analysis, Security Templates. (Double Click a snap-in to add, Click OK when finished)
– Now open Security Templates snap-in and you should see a path to %USERPROFILE%\Documents\Security\Templates folder. Right click on that path and select NEW TEMPLATE. Give that template a name (“Default” will do). No need for description. Just select OK.
– Now under your Templates path you should see new security template with the name you have assigned to it.
– Go to following: LOCAL POLICIES- > SECURITY OPTIONS
– double-click User Account Control: Behavior of the elevation prompt for administrators in Admin Approval Mode
– choose Elevate without prompting
– click ok
—————–
Now very important part. What we’ve just done we have only created a template that we now need to apply to our system:
– Right Click “Security Configuration and analysis” Snap-IN
– Select “Open Database”
– Enter a name to a new database – This can be anything but we might want to be consistent so I used “Default”. Click Open or Press Enter. This should create Default.sdb file in Security\Templates subfolder of your home-dir.
– Now you should should see “Import Template” window. This is where you select template you created earlier. Locate the file if you haven’t saved it to the default location and select OPEN.
– Right Click on Security Configuration And Analysis Snap-In again and select “Configure Computer Now”
– Just click OK on the error log file screen.
– If you followed my instructions right, UAC should stop prompting you for elevation now.
Rgds,
ADRIAN
Thank you very much for the workaround – works perfectly
Adrian,
Thanks so much for you info. Im a server guy to the bones, and have no knowledge of vista and the stupid User Access Controls. I know how to shut them off with msconfig, but it didnt help my admin problem with software and I am very excited to try your advice to see if it is a solution. Thanks so much for your time and help. Sometimes people that answer forms like this dont realise how much they help people. You have helped. My job and eperiance is server Os’s and 200/XP clients, im lost with Vista. Thanks again for your help with Vistas “Crap” changes. (sorry if someone likes it and doesn’t agree with me.) it has only given me problems everytime that i use it in a business manner, and I think that says something. Thanks to all.
Cheers
JR
Hi Adrian
Thank you for the attempt to help.
I’m a Vista Home Premium admin user and could not find: – Go to following: LOCAL POLICIES- > SECURITY OPTIONS
– double-click User Account Control: Behavior of the elevation prompt for administrators in Admin Approval Mode
– choose Elevate without prompting
– click ok
Could you please give me more directions to carry on the steps you kindly adviced us ?
Thanks
ANdre
Here I have Solution,
1. Go to installation directory.
2. Search for the winrar.exe
3. Right Click -> Properties
4. Compatibility -> Unchek Compatibility mode.
5. Save Changes.
5. Done! No more UAC.
Operating System Windows 7.
Cheers.
thanks so much!
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