When I try to install things in Vista

williamd · 31 Jul 2008 at 22:00

and the screen goes black for a second for no reason, I die a little inside.

Fothsn · 31 Jul 2008 at 22:06

Is it the UAC prompt kicking in?

Fire Wizard · 31 Jul 2008 at 22:08

Hello williamd, I am guessing you are referring about the elevation prompt which is not just prompting you for the sake of it. User Account Control is prompting you because it needs elevated privileges for the requested process.

williamd · 31 Jul 2008 at 22:12

Yeah I've disabled UAC now thank god. Why does it make your screen turn off? Is it just me?

And why must I elevate my priveleges? Surely I'm the administrator, I'm the only user.

Fothsn · 31 Jul 2008 at 22:14

williamd said:
Yeah I've disabled UAC now thank god. Why does it make your screen turn off? Is it just me?

And why must I elevate my priveleges? Surely I'm the administrator, I'm the only user.

It doesn’t turn it off, just dims the screen.

Does it actually turn the monitor off?

williamd · 31 Jul 2008 at 22:24

No it just goes darker I think.

Fothsn · 31 Jul 2008 at 22:25

williamd said:
No it just goes darker I think.

That’s fine then, all is okay

williamd · 31 Jul 2008 at 22:27

Still irritating and completely unnecessary.

Fothsn · 31 Jul 2008 at 22:33

williamd said:
Still irritating and completely unnecessary.

I wouldn’t say so; it’s a good feature for the normal user and many advanced users as they know when something is accessing their files as its very visible and locks the screen, where as if just a normal box appeared it may go unnoticed etc.

Fire Wizard · 31 Jul 2008 at 22:33

williamd said:
Yeah I've disabled UAC now thank god.

Hello williamd, I'm guessing this is your first time using Windows Vista. I would highly recommend you keep User Account Control running.

Why does it make your screen turn off? Is it just me?

It's called the "Secure Desktop". When a process needs elevated privileges, it switches to the "Secure Desktop" so other software can not mess with that dialogue.

And why must I elevate my priveleges? Surely I'm the administrator, I'm the only user.

Windows Vista has slightly changed compared to Windows XP. In Windows Vista, regardless if you are running as a administrator, with User Account Control actively running, everyone is running with standard user rights unless a process requires elevated privileges and in which, you will be prompted. Admittedly, when you have first installed Windows Vista, during the setup, configuration and installation period, you will receive quite a few prompts. However, these will quieten down after you have passed that initial period.

At least understand the reasoning behind User Account Control and give it a chance before just turning it off.

williamd · 31 Jul 2008 at 23:13

I understand its purpose but I didn't need anything like that in XP and I don't really need it now. Anyone other than the most basic of users should be able to run Vista without getting viruses etc. Perhaps if it was more selective then I would keep it enabled but it comes up far too often.

Having said that, maybe once my system it fully set up, I may enable it again and see how things go as you're right, I will hopefully see it less frequently.

Fire Wizard · 31 Jul 2008 at 23:50

williamd said:
I understand its purpose but I didn't need anything like that in XP and I don't really need it now.

Hello williamd, Windows XP is not the be end of it all operating system. Just because Windows XP didn't have that said feature, doesn't mean it's not needed in future operation system releases. Have a read through this post here written by NathanE, I think he highlights some good points.

Anyone other than the most basic of users should be able to run Vista without getting viruses etc.

Talking specifically about User Account Control, regardless if you think you are a so called "power user" (Not aimed directly at you by the way) or not, there is absolutely no substitute for User Account Control.

Rebelius · 1 Aug 2008 at 00:13

Fire Wizard said:
It's called the "Secure Desktop". When a process needs elevated privileges, it switches to the "Secure Desktop" so other software can not mess with that dialogue.

unfortunately, it doesn't always work. If you change the focus just as it's happening sometimes you won't know that the UAC prompt has even appeared, especially if what you changed focus to is full screen.

why do you say hello soandso in every post, surely he's not forgotten you since the first time you said hi?

Fire Wizard · 1 Aug 2008 at 00:14

Rebelius said:
unfortunately, it doesn't always work. If you change the focus just as it's happening sometimes you won't know that the UAC prompt has even appeared, especially if what you changed focus to is full screen.

Hello Rebelius, sorry, I'm not quite with you on that...

Caged · 1 Aug 2008 at 00:30

Rebelius said:
why do you say hello soandso in every post, surely he's not forgotten you since the first time you said hi?

Oh wow someone else who's noticed it as well.

Fire Wizard said:
Rebelius said:

unfortunately, it doesn't always work. If you change the focus just as it's happening sometimes you won't know that the UAC prompt has even appeared, especially if what you changed focus to is full screen.

Click to expand...

Hello Rebelius, sorry, I'm not quite with you on that...

The UAC prompt has loaded in the background.

Fothsn · 1 Aug 2008 at 00:30

Rebelius said:
unfortunately, it doesn't always work. If you change the focus just as it's happening sometimes you won't know that the UAC prompt has even appeared, especially if what you changed focus to is full screen.

why do you say hello soandso in every post, surely he's not forgotten you since the first time you said hi?

What’s the problem with saying hello? It’s maybe how he posts perhaps he is friendly you know?

Fire Wizard · 1 Aug 2008 at 00:42

Caged said:
The UAC prompt has loaded in the background.

Hello Caged, if you then clicked on the prompt on the taskbar, I am guessing it would still bring up the "Secure Desktop" mode with the authorization window enlightened?

Caged · 1 Aug 2008 at 00:46

Yes of course it does :confused:

I'll also hazard a guess that it's not how UAC is meant to perform. Why are you such a White Knight for UAC?

V1N · 1 Aug 2008 at 00:47

I quite like UAC myself.

It annoyed me at first, but I got used to it, and know when to expect it on a day to day basis now... though I'd still appreciate a "safe list" type thing, where I could add those programs that need to be run as admin, and not bother me with UAC each time.

Anyway, I found it handy last week, as I went to asus.com a few times to check for bios updates.

I noticed my network meter shoot up when I visited the page, and after a few seconds, UAC popped up, warning me that something was trying to install, so I had the chance to cancel. Happens every time I visit asus.com, even just now as I tried again as a test.

Nice to see UAC working, and showing that it can block unwanted installs. I guess if a virus/spyware made its way onto my system, and tried to run, I'd be alerted by the unexpected UAC prompt.

Vin.

EDIT: btw. what would happen if I'd visited asus.com, on XP, or without UAC enabled. Would this code have automatically run/installed? Or would it have been blocked anyway, and I'd have known nothing about it?

Fire Wizard · 1 Aug 2008 at 00:57

Caged said:
Yes of course it does I'll also hazard a guess that it's not how UAC is meant to perform. Why are you such a White Knight for UAC?

Hello Caged, I am not trying to be a ""White Knight" of User Account Control at all, I just wanted to make sure I understood the situation regardless of what it is the best I can before commenting that's all.

With regards to why it does that with some elevation processes, I am honestly not quite sure, sorry.