Why has Windows Live Messanger icon got the "administrator" shield?

In the Start menu, the icon for Windows Live Messenger has the "Admistrator" blue/yellow shield overlay. This is a shortcut, and I can find no reason why the overlay should be there.

The underlying program is C:\Program Files (x86)\windows Live\Messenger\msnmsgr.exe and that also has the shield overlay, but again, I can't find out why that is so.

Is there a guide somewhere to the steps needed to eliminate the shield overlay? I've become adept at fixing most of them, but this one has me stumped.

Do you have Service Pack 1 installed? If so, this usually clears it.

Also, please update/complete your pc specs, so we can help you.

Carl Lawrence said:

Do you have Service Pack 1 installed? If so, this usually clears it.

Also, please update/complete your pc specs, so we can help you.

Where did you obtain the information that installing Service Pack 1 will correct the problem? Windows 7, by default, is installed without Windows Live Messenger and I am unaware of any changes in Service Pack 1. Therefore, unless the user had prior knowledge of the optional install, it would not change the WLM settings as they would be unaffected.

sounds like it was run as administrator and has stayed that way, how to revert it i dont know, i would delete it and reinstall it. when you delete windows live essentials from programs and features it gives you a list of live essentials you have installed and asks you to select the ones you want to repair or delete, then you need to install it again. it should be fine after that.

Carl Lawrence said:

Do you have Service Pack 1 installed?
...
Also, please update/complete your pc specs, so we can help you.

The PC came with SP1. I've updated my PC specs, so hopefully it's my soundcard that's causing this problem; I was thinking of changing that. :)

Sir George said:

Would you please post an image, I don't remember seeing the problem you describe and it could be helpful.

Righty-ho; here's your image.

I've noticed quite a few icons with the shield overlay in various places across my system.

boohbah said:

i would delete it and reinstall it. when you delete windows live essentials from programs and features it gives you a list of live essentials you have installed and asks you to select the ones you want to repair or delete, then you need to install it again. it should be fine after that.

Well, about all I'm using is Windows Live Messenger, and that's going to Skype, so maybe I should just cut my losses and try Skype.

I also wondered about WLM executable ending up in \Program Files (x86)\ which implies that I have a 32-bit version. I doubt that's relevant to the shield icon, but who knows?

I seem to recall not being able to find a 64-bit version of WLM.

Sir George said:

See if the following corrects the issue;

Elevated Program Shortcut without UAC Prompt - Create

Thanks for the link. I had to fiddle with the shortcut, as I store all my own Scheduled tasks under \Swiftys\ but once done, it does the trick.

Even though my shortcut runs minimized, to prevent the cmd.exe window blinking, I still get a window blinking at me. I can see that it's a "proper" application window of some sort, but it closes so quickly I cannot see what it is. I'll video it, and play it back in slow motion.