To Use An Admininstrator Account or Not?

I've just got a fresh W7 install up, and I was wondering-- is it worth keeping an admin account separate, and running on a standard user unless needed? Would some things be restricted completely, or would it just require a password instead of automatic? Also, if it is the case that I should be running in standard for security reasons, can I make a new account, switch that one to admin, and make this one standard without messing anything up? I have a bit of programs installed on this current administrator account (right now, the only one on the computer. The programs I have installed, specifically, are Avira/Malwarebytes and Firefox.

I have never run any OS as a standard user. Ran XP for over 8 years without ever getting a virus, of those 8 years I only ran a virus program about 4-5 of them.
Running 7 as what MS now calls Admin.

If you do proper backups, images, watch where you go and what you do on the net, only install programs that you know are virus/spyware/trojan/malware free, don't open emails from people/places you don't know I think all this security, Virus/firewalls/spyware/malware/whatever programs, is just a drain on the bank account and computer resourses.
But hey what do I know.

You have some good points-- competence over everything else. And paid antivirii do indeed seem to trail behind in most cases. I gave it a try, though, and apparently making a new account with admin let me switch it off on this one. I rarely use admin stuff unless installing important programs, so I guess I'll stick with that. Won't inconvenience me much, if at all.

Skcorps said:

You have some good points-- competence over everything else. And paid antivirii do indeed seem to trail behind in most cases. I gave it a try, though, and apparently making a new account with admin let me switch it off on this one. I rarely use admin stuff unless installing important programs, so I guess I'll stick with that. Won't inconvenience me much, if at all.

Sorry I don't read your reply well.
So you did make a standard user account? And that is what you are going to use on a regular basis?

That's OK. It is your PC.
But you may fine it a bit restrictive. Only time will tell.
Good luck.

Yeah, I did switch to standard, and made another account to serve as admin. I figured I could switch my main account back to admin as well, if I needed to, but since I rarely do things that use heightened privileges, a standard account doesn't inconvenience me too much. Thanks for the help.

In Win 7, standard accounts are generally for 'controlled' users, as a password is required for functions that change the system, install programs, etc., so that they are unable to change the system in ways you desire them not to, and protection from outside sources is provided as well. Win 7 admin accounts are not like XP admin accounts were.

In a Win 7 admin account, as long as you have UAC enabled and reasonably set (I have mine set to the 2nd highest setting), you are protected from rogue programs trying to install themselves, but don't have to enter a password everytime you need to make changes. You just need to click 'OK'. No point in protecting your system from yourself, unless you don't trust yourself to make the right choices.

James