Question about W7 UAC

jak731 · 6 Jan 2011 at 18:19

I keep UAC set at the lowest on setting as I know it's sensible to do so. I was wondering if I can tell it not to continually prompt me about programs I use regularly and know to be safe? For instance every time I start my computer I have to click ok for MSI afterburner.

SiriusB · 6 Jan 2011 at 18:33

There is no whitelisting or exceptions possible for UAC. If there was such a mechanism then developers would just abuse it, making us no better off than the XP model.

The only options you have is reduce the UAC level [not the best idea], don't shutdown your PC [use Sleep/Hibernate instead] or put up with it and wait for the MSI devs to write the next version properly*.

*though given the changes it has to make to drivers, not sure they could make MSI Afterburner work in Standard User mode.

jak731 · 6 Jan 2011 at 18:45

Surely there could be a user only option for developers that don't get signed software, there couldn't be any abuse then and it would give users a better experience. It's one of my few niggles with W7 and it's by no means a massive pain but it would be nice to have it perfect

Jamiman · 6 Jan 2011 at 18:52

I never use UAC. More trouble than its worth IMO.

spybot's teatimer, although annoying, allows whitelisting/blacklisting so it suits me a lot more.

SiriusB · 6 Jan 2011 at 19:41

jak731 said:
Surely there could be a user only option for developers that don't get signed software, there couldn't be any abuse then and it would give users a better experience. It's one of my few niggles with W7 and it's by no means a massive pain but it would be nice to have it perfect

The problem is something like Afterbuner alters hardware/drivers. No matter how you cut it this is a system change and therefore should require admin rights to do. Though having said that I don't load MSI Afterburner on my server and I am fairly certain the OC is still applied.

Jamiman said:
I never use UAC. More trouble than its worth IMO.

Without it developers will continue writing software that requires admin rights just to run. That's bad. If you run as protected admin you can just click OK, no big deal. If you need to do a lot of admin work - run as the built-in Admin and drop back to a standard user when done.