Windows 7 - Is there a way to determine what causes a UAC warning?

I'm using xnView to display exr files. With the UAC at the hightest level, I always get a warning with starting the program or double clickng on an OpenEXR file. It would seem like there is some action xnView is taking to trigger this. How can I find out what action is is trying to perform that needs a higher privilege?

Hello 7powerWannabe, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Anytime that you see this shield icon next to a link (Window Explorer) or at the bottom right corner of a file icon, it indicates that you will get a UAC prompt when you open it for it to Run as administrator (elevated).




Hope this helps,
Shawn

Shawn - yes, I see that tiny uac icon in the program's icon. I tried 'properties, advanced, set to 'run as administrator' but it still gave the UAC warning. Is there a way to find out WHY it gets the UAC tiny icon? There must be something it is doing. UltraEdit (which can save and edit and create files), doesn't get the UAC icon. Why would a program that just reads a file get one?

maybe..... this would be of some help

A good rule of thumb is that if the application needs administrator rights to edit the registry or make system changes it will most likely need UAC.

It gets the UAC prompt because it is trying to run elevated (Run as administratror). Any program like this will have the UAC sheild on it's icon to let you know that you will get a UAC prompt when you open or try to run it.

I didn't install xnView, but used a zip file and copied the folders. Could that be the problem? Do I have to use an install exe to get things setup right?

I did try the install version of xnView instead of the copying by hand from the zip, and now it works. I did some reading and I think it installs a manifest. My next step was to install the MS Application Compatibility toolkit (which apparently can help with finding out what a program does to set off the UAC) Download details: Microsoft Application Compatibility Toolkit But, now I don't need to. At any rate, thanks for the links

You could contact the maker of xnView and ask them if/when they will have a Windows 7 compatible version.

And actually most programs that get the UAC treatment have that happen because they did not follow proper windows development guidelines to begin with. Tried to save settings in c:\ or directly tried to manipulate files in documents and settings rather than ask the OS for the users settings path or hack in deep dark places in the registry in order to hide copy protection information etc.

So it really is up to the software manufacturer to fix the problems in their product which ususually shouldn't have been there in the first place but it really never mattered before. Now it does. Note that even older microsoft products have some of this problem.

I have UAC turned off, I run these instead, just thought I'd toss this out there:

Avast! Internet Security Suite (very good firewall and kitchen sink for all the rest for anti-virus/malware/spam) Downside costs $, but I did a 3 year/3PC license at reasonable cost.
WinPatrol (free or some $ for lifetime database online info option, I like it)
BoostSpeed 5.0 ($30) [trial available]
TuneUp Utilities 2010 (snagged at Target for under $20 for 3 PC version!) [trial available]
and these 3 free versions for extra protection as needed: (run weekly at least)
Spybot Search Destroy
Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
Spyware Blaster

This stuff has a lot of browser protections automatically put in play, including my Firefox, I am having no internet issues.

Here's Boostspeed's tweak screenshoot for UAC, I like the wording!