Microsoft has obviously observed the request from users to bypass the User Account Control (UAC) prompts for specific applications. Just a few days ago they posted instructions on how to get around UAC prompts and a per application basis.
I decided to give this a whirl, and I can say first hand that it does work. There’s just one thing…it’s not quite as simple as a few clicks. The first time you go through the instructions it will probably take 3 or 4 minutes, but each program you setup after that will probably take just a minute since you’ll understand what needs to be done.
I’ve taken the liberty of modifying their directions ever so slightly to make them a bit easier, and I’ve also thrown in a few screenshots to guide you along the way:
- Download (10.9MB) and install the Application Compatibility Toolkit.
- In the Start menu find the shortcut Microsoft Application Compatibility Toolkit 5.0\Compatibility Administrator. Right click it and click Run as administrator.
- In the left hand pane, right-click on the database under Custom Databases and select Create New, and select Application Fix.
- Enter the name and other details of the application you want to alter behavior on and then browse to it to select it. Click Next.
- Click Next until you are in the Compatibility Fixes screen. On the Compatibility Fixes screen, find the item RunAsInvoker, and check it. Click Next and then Finish.
- Select File -> Save As. Save the file as a filename.SDB type file in a directory you will easily find it. Then copy the <filename>.sdb file to the Vista computer you want to alter the elevation prompt behavior on.
- Click Start -> All Programs -> Accessories. Right click Command Prompt and click Run as administrator.
- Run the command below:
sdbinst <path>\<filename>.sdb
For example, if you saved the .SDB file as abc.sdb in the c:\Windows folder, the command should be like this:
sdbinst c:\windows\abc.sdb
It should prompt: Installation of <name> complete.
I’m *guessing* that, before saving the file in Step 6, you can go back to Step 3 and add more “Application Fixes” to the database. That way you can execute just one database in the remaining steps.
Microsoft Knowledgebase [via x(perts)64]
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Tags: Helpful Tips, Software, Windows, Applications, Compatibility, Screenshots, Windows Vista
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Instead of posting a neat way to do it they have to do it this way…
That’s why Vista is such a worthless piece of shit.
Anyway, thanks a lot for the tip Ryan, I’m sure it will be useful to lots of people.
No problem. I can’t say that I ever expected this trick to be even the slightest bit easy. If it was a simple one-step process then that could make me question the security of UAC all together.
10 megs of file and bunch of complicated steps?
Me, I just install TweakVista (free from Stardock), go to Security, and check “Medium-low securiy” - remove all prompts for elevation.
That’s it.. And I can kiss the UAC prompt goodbye.. for good.
That is one way of doing things, but personally I like seeing the elevation prompts because it assures me that viruses and such would not be able to do anything malicious without me first seeing a prompt.
That is until the virus coders figure out a way around it.