How can I run ALL my Apps “as administrator” by default in Windows 7?

Question

I have a need to program a server app that accepts TCP datagrams from different systems in a given environment. These messages can be of a finite list of message types; for example New Inventory (new item record), Inventory Location Change (inventory is now at location X), Transfer Request (please move inventory ID XYZ to Location Y from Location X) as few examples.

My question is, is it a good idea to setup a socket (port number) per inbound message type so that I can avoid having to have some type of identifier in the datagram to state what type of message it is, therefore letting me know the format of the message so that I can process it?

I am writing the Sever in .NET but the senders of the TCP messages are existing, non-.NET systems. My plan is to setup an Asynchronous Server that saves the messages into an MSMQ for further processing. (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/fx6588te(v=vs.110).aspx)

Solution 1

You can disable User Account Control (UAC) entirely from the control panel; this will mean all programs (installed, downloaded, background, everything) will effectively run with the privileges you currently have to grant manually (via UAC pop-up or compatibility settings).

I think this is what you are asking for?

However, I highly recommend against doing this; it lowers the security of your entire system by allowing any program to modify your system.

In Windows 7 you can adjust the level of UAC to suit your needs. In descending order of strength, the settings for Win7 are:

• Always notify
  UAC pop-up for changing certain Windows settings and for programs that require elevated rights.

• Notify me only when programs try to make changes to my computer
  Doesn't request permissions when changing Windows settings, they are granted automatically. Programs still require using a UAC pop-up.

• Notify me only when programs try to make changes to my computer (do not dim my desktop)
  As above, but screen is not dimmed. Potentially leaving the UAC pop-up windows open to manipulation by other software.

• Never notify (I suspect this is what you are after, but please reconsider!)
  If logged on as an admin-level user everything is automatically given elevated permissions.
  If you are logged on as a standard-level user, anything that requires elevated permissions will automatically be denied (with no opportunity to enter a password in a UAC pop-up).

Solution 2

1 - Add User To Administrators Group And Remove From Users Group:

1. Log In As Administrator

2. Go To Run ( WinKey + R )

3. Type "control userpasswords2"

4. Select Your Account And Click On "Properties"

5. Select "Group Membership" Tab

6. Select "Administrators"

7. Click OK And OK

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2 - Disable Approval Mode

1. Log In As Administrator

2. Go To Run ( WinKey + R )

3. Type "secpol.msc"

4. Go To Local Polices > Security Options

5. Find "User Account Control: Switch to the secure desktop when prompting for elevation"

6. Open It Click Disable It And Click Ok.

7. Restart Computer( Very Important Log Off Doesn't Work )

---

Now Every App Will Be Run As Administrator In All Administrator Users

Solution 3

You can always just logon as the "Administrator" account.

Or, just set UAC to never prompt you, and then all the apps that need admin rights will get it, without you needing to do anything. Just search for "User Account Control" on the Start Menu.

Just so you know though, this is very dangerous. Any malware will have full admin access!

Comments

[Marc Gravell]

That would certainly be a very unusual way to do it - and it will require more socket overhead assuming most clients require to send more than one type of message. I wouldn't do it that way

[Martin James]

Put it this way: suppose you had to change a route for your UDP packets on a router. How long would you like to interact with your router's arcane and indeipherable command interface? One port is more than enough..

[Marc Gravell]

@Martin eugh - a firewall change every time you add a message: my sysadmins would demand payment in blood

[Admin]

I know it's many years later, but I just found this other question and answers to be helpful: superuser.com/questions/1002262/…

[datatoo]

Vista allows notifying without prompting for a password, just asking for permission. Does one of these settings do that in Windows 7?

[DMA57361]

@datatoo - all of them (well, except "never notify", for obvious reasons), if you're an admin-level user you just have a allow/deny pop-up to respond to (no need to enter a password). If you're a standard-level user then the UAC pop-up requires an admin-level user to provide a password.

[datatoo]

thanks, I didn't realize that was the cause. It is the safe passwords that make it a hassle when you are a poor typist

[Christopher]

Thank you for your answer, it is a big help to have others fact check my thinking. I have never had to program socket layer communication before, I usually I work way above this type of communication and your (an Marc and Martin's) perspective on it is very helpful. I am learning that I have to figure out how to frame the message... good times. I wish I could just stick with SQL Server development! What I need to figure out how best to get these messages so that I can process them (that’s the code I am use to writing).

[Scott Chamberlain]

If you are programming new stuff, not trying to work with existing stuff, I would recommend avoiding sockets entirely and go with a library that gives you a layer of abstraction and handles all of the message framing and whatnot for you. The WCF library built in to .NET is good and there are lot of 3rd party libraries out there too.

[kiltek]

the info on how to access secpol.msc was very useful

[Bill Garrison]

Thank you this is a godsend. Confirmed that this also works in Win 10

[ashleedawg]

I recently reinstalled Windows 7 Home. When I try to run secpol.msc, the file is not found. I searched for it and found 2 copies, in c:\Windows\winsxs\amd64_microsoft-windows-s..ytools-ex.resou‌​rces_31bf3856ad364e3‌​5_6.1.7600.16385_en-‌​us_61a93666a0ac0769\ and c:\Windows\winsxs\amd64_microsoft-windows-s..ment-policytool‌​s-ex_31bf3856ad364e3‌​5_6.1.7600.16385_non‌​e_b55447455ac6a57a\ however running either of them tells me MMC could not create the snap-in. (image) Thoughts?

[Saaransh Garg]

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[DarkDiamond]

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