Does anyone use UAC?

[Memphis]

It was the first thing to be turned off when I installed windows, it is to far annoying for the benefits it produces. I wish permissions where as easy to turn off so you "own" everything in every folder.

Precisely how is it annoying? Sure, when you initially build the system you go through a few permission dialogues, but in day to day use, really how many times does it come up? And even when it does, how is one more click annoying? Surely one extra click for a little bit more security is better than no security at all?

I'll admit, I trust myself more than any of my security, but that doesn't mean I go without it.

 

[Superficial]

switched it off. If you are confident with admin privilges and it annoys you as it does me then switch it off.

if you're not it's safest left on.

 

[point decay]

turned it off in vista (nag nag nag), but no need to with 7

 

[NathanE]

The people that turn it off are precisely the demographic of users that are most at risk of malware infections.

 

[SiriusB]

It was the first thing to be turned off when I installed windows, it is to far annoying for the benefits it produces. I wish permissions where as easy to turn off so you "own" everything in every folder.

Remind me to never let you near any computer I administer! Why would you want to take ownership of everything? That just opens the door to all manner of trouble. Some stuff you should NEVER be able to screw around with as the scope for things going **** up, be it maliciously or [more likely] carelessness on your part, is too high.

I really can't fathom how day-to-day use will trigger UAC prompts often enough to be an inconvenience, even at its default setting. I am excepting developers here of course as no doubt they spend a lot of time doing the same things over and over. One less click each time is probably a great help to your sanity!

 

[eXor]

Of course.

I also use a standard user account, which is further locked down via a Software Restriction Policy.

If I want to install anything, I must enter the admin account password.

Not annoying in the slightest.

 

[Destination]

Never turnnd it off, very little I have to authorise, usually only when initially installing, and often that is only for old games written prior to UAC.

Malwarebytes needs authed each time is runs, UAC is a comfort

 

[Lunatic Dreyfus]

Whatever the Windows 7 default is.

I know "haters are going to hate" and all that, but Vista's version was a pain in the backside, and had to be taken in hand.

 

[Nexus18]

Nope got it turned off as well, personally for me I find it very annoying having pop ups etc.

Got comodo and eset NOD32 antivirus running amongst a few other things in terms of protection, so hopefully I should be safe enough

Plus haven't had one problem, no viruses etc. since I installed windows 7 (turned UAC off as soon as it was installed) which was ages ago, not long after having the RC copy iirc. Everything running fast and smooth.

 

[reilly]

Remind me to never let you near any computer I administer! Why would you want to take ownership of everything? That just opens the door to all manner of trouble. Some stuff you should NEVER be able to screw around with as the scope for things going **** up, be it maliciously or [more likely] carelessness on your part, is too high.

I really can't fathom how day-to-day use will trigger UAC prompts often enough to be an inconvenience, even at its default setting. I am excepting developers here of course as no doubt they spend a lot of time doing the same things over and over. One less click each time is probably a great help to your sanity!

Well for a start, everytime you install or run a .exe file, you get a prompt.
Everytime you try and copy and .exe you get a prompt.
Chaning files and folders
These are three examples, and if you are doing this 5-10 times a day it get very annoying, plus I am the only person that uses by PC, this doesn't have multiple accounts or users.

I have never had a proble from not having UAC disabled, I have Internet security, and I don't trail sites that are riddled with virus or use torrents. I know this doesn't stop ME from doing something fatal. If I have a problem and it is because I didn't have UAC enabled, maybe I will in future turn it on in the future. It doesn't take more than 2 hours to reinstall OS and progams if I have a problem and all other stuff is on a storage drive. Plus all my drives are back up anyway.

 

[NathanE]

Well for a start, everytime you install or run a .exe file, you get a prompt.
Everytime you try and copy and .exe you get a prompt.
Chaning files and folders
These are three examples

All 3 examples are invalid and unfactual.

 

[Mattus]

Well for a start, everytime you install or run a .exe file, you get a prompt.

No, you don't! Think about it. That would mean you'd get a prompt every time you ran any program.

 

[NathanE]

Nope got it turned off as well, personally for me I find it very annoying having pop ups etc.

Got comodo and eset NOD32 antivirus

Eh? So you've turned off UAC to reduce prompts... but then install Comodo and NOD32 security suites. So you're back at square one? Actually that's worse than square one. I can't think of anything worse.

 

[dbmzk1]

Turn it off.

See no reason for it to be on, the popups can be annoying and DO happen when doing trivial stuff like installing new programs, running programs that want to modify something, etc. Plus it lets everything run as administrator which is easier than doing it manually.

 

[Makhaira]

In Vista it was a PITA, in W7, it works a charm. Left on at default for me .

 

[asim18]

The first time I installed Vista and saw a UAC prompt, I was annoyed by it. The first thing I did was disable UAC. And, it's the first thing I always do every time I install Windows. Even Windows 7.

 

[gillywibble]

The people that turn it off are precisely the demographic of users that are most at risk of malware infections.

Rubbish. The people most at risk are the ones that click to allow programs to proceed irrespective of whether they know what they are or not.

 

[asim18]

Eh? So you've turned off UAC to reduce prompts... but then install Comodo and NOD32 security suites. So you're back at square one? Actually that's worse than square one. I can't think of anything worse.

Since when does comodo or nod32 prompt you for comfirmation every time you want to install something?

 

[vertica]

It is far better than it was in Vista, and it would be great if it had a white list. I don't mind the prompt if you're running something new, or you're making system changes, accessing protected files etc. but the majority of programs I use other than MSoffice prompt for me to accept.
This gets very irritating if I'm opening and closing things multiple times a day for memory management (software using 40GB of RAM after its finished and have to close to dump it etc).
Also in my current config it'd prompt for six programs on boot (mostly licence management services/programs).

I guess this is partly the (non MS) software developers fault for not accommodating it, but a white list would solve my issues.

 

[asim18]

The people that turn it off are precisely the demographic of users that are most at risk of malware infections.

Precisely the opposite in my experience.

People that turn it off are advanced users and know what they're doing.

People that leave it on are usually basic users who will easily get suckered into installing an anti-virus recommended by a pop-up. They'll just allow everything and end up infected regardless.

UAC won't protect someone with no common sense. However, Common sense will protect someone, even without UAC.