Why does UAC still prompt me when "Run as Administrator" is permanently set?

8

In the Properties, Compatibility (or Shortcut) tab I have ticked the "Run as administrator" box for certain applications that need administrator privileges.

When I then run these applications Windows still shows me the UAC prompt (eg: Do you want to let this program make changes to your computer?).

Why am I still asked this question after I have explicitly told Windows to always run the program as Administrator?

I realize I can turn the UAC prompt level down so that I no longer see any prompts, however the UAC prompt is still valuable for new or unknown programs, so I do not want prompts completely disabled.

For programs that I trust, it is just an annoying distraction.

(I'm also familiar with the creating a task in the scheduler with highest privileges, but that doesn't answer the question as to why UAC still prompts even when Run as Administrator is set.)

Ash

Posted 2011-10-26T05:15:21.913

Reputation: 81

You can just turn on autoelevate and just use Fast switch for Admin tasks if it is that much of a dog. That's what I do. – surfasb – 2011-10-27T03:34:28.340

Answers

10

This is by design. The checkbox negates the need to right-click and select "Run as administrator" every time.

Windows requires authentication for any task that requires administrator privilages. By what you suggest, nothing would prevent malware searching your computer for "Run as administrator" icons, running them, then using the application to access the depths of your file system. If the program ever displays so much as a file dialog, immediately the malware could modify files in restricted areas of the system.

Hand-E-Food

Posted 2011-10-26T05:15:21.913

Reputation: 4 711

2Plus it would give lazy vendors yet another excuse not to update and secure their software. – surfasb – 2011-10-27T03:35:20.807

So, like most users who find UAC prompts annoying I choose "Never notify". How am I not now at even more risk than if I was able to indicate only specific programs that don't prompt (leaving UAC prompt on for any others). In hindsight I now see my question as a rant against the stupidly intrusive UAC in Windows 7. I ran Windows XP for years without any malware problems because I was careful to run only software I trusted. If I make this decision I don't need f$#ing Windows telling a "Are you sure?" every time. – Ash – 2011-10-28T12:43:29.140

I can appreciate your frustration. Unfortunately, malware is getting smarter. Some software, such as Google Chrome, use tricks to bypass UAC. Then one of our work computers using Chrome let a virus straight through and installed it, despite virus protection. – Hand-E-Food – 2011-10-30T18:20:53.293

@Ash The problem is that the program you are running needs to be updated by its authors to run correctly as a standard user (that is: what happens if you run the software on Windows XP as a standard user?). UAC is a convenience feature. Without UAC you would have to fast-user-switch to administrator account in order to perform some operation that requires administrative privilege, then fast-user-switch back to your regular standard user account. You're free to turn off UAC, and have Windows behave like Windows XP, but then you lose the convenience of UAC. – Ian Boyd – 2012-03-26T17:08:36.767

Asked: 2011-10-26T05:15:21.913

Viewed: 14 299 times

Active: 2011-11-03T11:28:16.750