UAC as Admin???

[jsmoline]

I just read a post about turning off uac. There was a huge debate and/or argument about how it should or shouldn't be done. I have been running in Admin. account with Windows firewall and MSE. I took someones advice and turned on uac with default settings. Yes, is was a little hard getting use to the question, Do you want to allow this program to make changes to your computer? This happens with Crap Cleaner, Auslogics Defrag, and all of the other tools I use. I look at this as a huge safety feature, even though I trust all of these programs. I know I'm going to hear that I should not run in Admin. account. I made a standard user account and enabled everything I needed to make sure that my wife's work day on this pc would work as she has been used to. The problem was how much space this used up on my hard drive. So I deleted it and am back to running in Admin. I have run as Admin. since W 95 and have never had a problem. I am fully stealthed, behind a router with a firewall and NAT enabled, Windows firewall is also on and I'm using MSE. I have used a third party firewall until W 7. It is set to defaults and I get some outbound warnings from this or MSE. Not sure as is pops up as windows security I think. I think I'm safe. Do you? I love to read opinions without the arrogant know it all name calling, like in the other post I read. Thanks
John

 

[richc46]

Good post

No arguement, just my opinion. I think that I have more than average knowlege about computers. I have two adminstrtor accounts (in case one gets corrupt) and run from a standard account. There is argument about this point, but I think less harm can come from a virus if in the standard users account

In addition, I use UAC at default levels. You mentioned your wife, ever have her on your mind, good or bad, and without sufficient thought do something on the computer. The UAC will make you think. Just my 2 cents.

 

[NoN]

I just read a post about turning off uac. There was a huge debate and/or argument about how it should or shouldn't be done. I have been running in Admin. account with Windows firewall and MSE. I took someones advice and turned on uac with default settings. Yes, is was a little hard getting use to the question, Do you want to allow this program to make changes to your computer? This happens with Crap Cleaner, Auslogics Defrag, and all of the other tools I use. I look at this as a huge safety feature, even though I trust all of these programs. I know I'm going to hear that I should not run in Admin. account. I made a standard user account and enabled everything I needed to make sure that my wife's work day on this pc would work as she has been used to. The problem was how much space this used up on my hard drive. So I deleted it and am back to running in Admin. I have run as Admin. since W 95 and have never had a problem. I am fully stealthed, behind a router with a firewall and NAT enabled, Windows firewall is also on and I'm using MSE. I have used a third party firewall until W 7. It is set to defaults and I get some outbound warnings from this or MSE. Not sure as is pops up as windows security I think. I think I'm safe. Do you? I love to read opinions without the arrogant know it all name calling, like in the other post I read. Thanks
John

Humm well... i far prefer running as standard user since XP and let my admin account besided. I do not use it often and it doesn't load much on my hard drive since only basics apps are there and not my personal. UAC is running one notch down default setting because i do not like that shadowed screen when progs running. Firewall is on and an internet security suite aswell...Windows Defender loads himself and is not unactivated.

I recently discovered the "bredolab" trojan password stealer and put it in quarantine before deleting it. One more reason for me to run as standard user!

 

[jsmoline]

She hasn't encountered the uac yet. It is set to default settings. Whenever something like this comes up, though, she always calls on me to deal with it. I just wish it didn't use up so much space to make a standard user account. I wonder if I could make another admin account and turn this one into a standard user account? I bet something would get messed up.

 

[richc46]

You could change from Adm to standard. Not a problem. Unless there is only one adm account. That cannot be changed.

 

[jsmoline]

There is only one Admin. account.

 

[NoN]

She hasn't encountered the uac yet. It is set to default settings. Whenever something like this comes up, though, she always calls on me to deal with it. I just wish it didn't use up so much space to make a standard user account. I wonder if I could make another admin account and turn this one into a standard user account? I bet something would get messed up.

My admin account is only 110Mo big..after setting it for my needs. It shouldn't be a probs to create another account. she will have to get use to it! Click "authorize"!

 

[richc46]

If there is only one Adm account it cannot be changed to standard user; unless you make the 2nd adm account then change the one that you have.

 

[jsmoline]

So I create another admin account. Does it automatically have admin rights etc.? Or are there other steps I have to take?

 

[hackerman1]

do NOT use an ADMIN-account for normal work.
always run on a USER-account, switch to ADMIN only when it´s absolutely necessary fx. while doing system maintenance.

jsmoline: " I just wish it didn't use up so much space to make a standard user account."

how much space is "so much" ?

i have almost nothing on my ADMIN-account, almost clean desktop etc.
i keep everything on my normal USER-account.

create a new ADMIN, then change your existing ADMIN to USER.

and of course if you create a new ADMIN, it has ADMIN-rights....

 

[Corrine]

I am fully stealthed, behind a router with a firewall and NAT enabled, Windows firewall is also on and I'm using MSE. I have used a third party firewall until W 7. It is set to defaults and I get some outbound warnings from this or MSE. Not sure as is pops up as windows security I think. I think I'm safe.

(bold added)

Hi again, John.

As far as I can recall, I have only received one request for permission for an outgoing program with both Windows Vista and Windows 7 firewall programs. That was for Trillian, a "chat" program I use for IRC. So, what kind of outbound warnings are you receiving?

I think I posted something a bit earlier today with my thoughts on UAC. Then again, could have been yesterday. :huh:

Anyway, I personally want to know precisely what is gong on at all times on my computer. I don't care that I launched a program that I closed 10 minutes ago and I get a UAC prompt asking me to approve the elevation. To me, it is just second nature.

 

[jsmoline]

So, if I create new admin account, it automatically has admin rights. Then I change existing admin account to standard user account. All in this newly changed user account will function as it always did?

 

[hackerman1]

jsmoline: also create a new USER-account for your wife,
if she makes some mistake then nothing will happen to YOUR files....

 

[jsmoline]

I am fully stealthed, behind a router with a firewall and NAT enabled, Windows firewall is also on and I'm using MSE. I have used a third party firewall until W 7. It is set to defaults and I get some outbound warnings from this or MSE. Not sure as is pops up as windows security I think. I think I'm safe.

(bold added)

Hi again, John.

As far as I can recall, I have only received one request for permission for an outgoing program with both Windows Vista and Windows 7 firewall programs. That was for Trillian, a "chat" program I use for IRC. So, what kind of outbound warnings are you receiving?

I think I posted something a bit earlier today with my thoughts on UAC. Then again, could have been yesterday. :huh:

Anyway, I personally want to know precisely what is gong on at all times on my computer. I don't care that I launched a program that I closed 10 minutes ago and I get a UAC prompt asking me to approve the elevation. To me, it is just second nature.

I don't remember. There has only been a couple of them. One was a java thing when I was doing a speed test. I was glad to see W 7 protecting me. I'm good with the UAC turned on. What do you think about always using Admin. account?

 

[jsmoline]

jsmoline: also create a new USER-account for your wife,
if she makes some mistake then nothing will happen to YOUR files....

I shouldn't need to make her a user account as this newly, changed from admin to standard user, is her account. I just maintain it and use it myself. Do you agree?

 

[Corrine]

jsmoline: also create a new USER-account for your wife,
if she makes some mistake then nothing will happen to YOUR files....

I shouldn't need to make her a user account as this newly, changed from admin to standard user, is her account. I just maintain it and use it myself. Do you agree?

Yes, that is fine.

 

[hackerman1]

So, if I create new admin account, it automatically has admin rights. Then I change existing admin account to standard user account. All in this newly changed user account will function as it always did?

yes.
it should not be any problem, that is exactly what i once did myself...

i installed Vista, and always used my ADMIN-account with UAC off,
because all those UAC-prompts was driving me crazy when i tried to configure my computer.

but then i learned that it´s a VERY bad idea, so i created a new ADMIN-account, and changed my ADMIN into a USER-account,
and yes, everything worked exactly as before.

 

[jsmoline]

I will give this a try and let you know how it goes.

 

[hackerman1]

just remember to create the new ADMIN first....

 

[jsmoline]

I created the new admin account first. Then changed the original admin account to standard user. Logged in to new admin account. tried to change some printer setting to see if I had the rights. I got the access denied message. Did I do something wrong? The new admin account should do whatever I tell it. The old admin account, which I changed to standard user, I can still do anything I want.