Windows 7: Some programs must be run as administrator

Hello everybody

When running some programs on Win 7, such as Disk defragmenter or programs installation, requires to ‘run as administrator’ even already logged as administrator!

I know that “The Username/Administrator account is not a full administrator account it has more privileges than other accounts that are added later”

Note: the UAC is already disabled

Is there a reason for that?

Is there a way to get more privileges permanently to avoid each time to run things as administrator?

I do not believe there is. Even though the account is a administrator account, i think it runs things as just a user. I could be wrong so do not take my word for it. But I believe there is no way to always run everything as a administrator.

Hello Philome,

Administrators (not the same as the built-in Administrator) are just about the same as a standard user, but will get a UAC prompt, if UAC is turned on, to give confirmation before being allowed to make changes that affect the system or other users. Standard users will get a UAC prompt to provide the administrator's password before being allowed to do so. If UAC is not turned on, then the standard user will not be allowed to do so.

It is not recommended to use a user account that has full unrestricted access of the full computer without getting a UAC prompt since everything, such as malware, that runs while logged into this account would also have full unrestricted access.

Saying the above, you could enable the built-in Administrator account and log in to it, or elevate the privilege level of administrators to be the same as the built-in Administrator account to have full unrestricted access.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Thanks for your replay Brink

I will examinate carefully what you've write
I have also noticed (that unlike Win XP), is is not possible
to login with the name 'Administrator' ... why ?

You're welcome Philome.

The built-in Administrator is named "Administrator", so that is why you cannot use that name since it's already used. The built-in Administrator has to be enabled before it is available though.

Hello again Brink

I worked a long time with Win XP and I was alway logged with 'Administrator'
Win XP had many less securities than 7 and lets you do everything without any prompt

By the way it's not very annoying, just for program installation and some utilities runs

UAC warnings is another problem, so I disable it completely as I use Kaspersky
Internet Security

Yeah, UAC takes a bit to get use to from XP. UAC is basically a last line of defense to give you the chance to allow or deny letting anything run elevated (run as administrator) first. This can be real helpful if say malware tried to run elevated without you knowing it. UAC would give you the chance to stop it.

If you like, the links and information about UAC in the blue NOTE box in the tutorial below can give you more details about the purpose and function of UAC.

User Account Control - UAC - Change Notification Settings

I know this, Brink and I've recently get a serious malware. I have to reinstall Win 7.
This was done quickly because I use (and recommend to every one) an Image backup software
(PARAGON Drive Backup). I make a backup of my system each 3 days, at night.
(all my data are stored on another drive). A restore duration for a Windows partition (for 120GB
used partition) is only 45' ... If you have to reinstall Windows from scratch you have
one week work and for program setup (if your remember what settings you use for those)

Smart decision. Everyone should keep good system image backups and regular file backups to be safe.