Windows 7: File Virtualization and UAC

DarkStar GT · 06 Jul 2010

I have installed some 32-bit apps using "Run as Administrator". The installers have written files to a sub-folder within C:\Program Files\... and to Registry keys within HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/...

If I now run the app as a user with UAC Off I think that it will read from and write to those above locations quite happily. Is that correct?

If I run the app as a user with UAC On, and selecting "Run as Administrator", I think that it will read from and write to those above locations quite happily. Is that correct?

But if I run the app as a user (even one who is an administrator) with UAC On will it read from those above locations but write to the virtual locations?

C:\Users\Username\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files\...
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\VirtualStore\MACHINE\Software\... or HKEY_USERS\UserSID_Classes\VirtualStore\Machine\Software\...

Or should I copy the data into those locations myself first?

Then next time I run with UAC On how does the app know to use the Virtual locations?

---------------
Useful tutorial: User Account Control Data Redirection

Windows 7: File Virtualization and UAC

File Virtualization and UAC problems?