Circumventing UAC (without disabling UAC - Windows 7)(IMPORTANT)

[BlackSmoke 🏴‍☠]

First of all, as a general advice: You never should be disabling UAC. People recommending to disable this subsystem are not right.

What's UAC? It's 'User Account Control', it's a security subsystem in Windows. It can be configured into different security levels or even disabled, but you shouldn't disable this subsystem. If you disable UAC this will be disabled not only for your games, it will be also disabled for any kind of software including malware.

UAC has NO the ability to include or exclude executables, like antiviruses does. So you CAN'T include or exclude a certain program or game from being blocked or not by UAC.

BUT there is a way to circumvent UAC. You can indirectly create an exclusion for certain program or game. This involves the task scheduler and a simple shortcut. It definitely works.

So you can create a 'Elevated Program Shortcut without UAC Prompt'. As said before, this works.

It's specially useful if you want to play non Steam games with Steam Link and controller.

The next article explains step by step what to do:

Windows 7: Elevated Program Shortcut without UAC Prompt - Create
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/11949-elevated-program-shortcut-without-uac-prompt-create.html

[Bad 💀 Motha]

Besides the annoying prompt, it serves ZERO purpose. Get the paid Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and leave Microsoft Smart-Screen enabled for better overall protection. UAC is not a "protection" method.

But yes there is really no reason to disable it fully, just turn it down one notch, that is all.

In Win8,8.1,10 if you do disable UAC, Microsoft will block any access to the Microsoft App Store (Windows/Xbox Store)

If you want to fully bypass UAC getting in the way of an App, simply install such an app elsewhere, never to Program Files and such. That is really all...

[BlackSmoke 🏴‍☠]

Diposting pertama kali oleh Bad-Motha:

Besides the annoying prompt, it serves ZERO purpose. Get the paid Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and leave Microsoft Smart-Screen enabled for better overall protection. UAC is not a "protection" method.

But yes there is really no reason to disable it fully, just turn it down one notch, that is all.

In Win8,8.1,10 if you do disable UAC, Microsoft will block any access to the Microsoft App Store (Windows/Xbox Store)

If you want to fully bypass UAC getting in the way of an App, simply install such an app elsewhere, never to Program Files and such. That is really all...

Basically you don't know what you are talking about.

1º.- We are talking about Windows 7 as stated clearly in the thread tittle, NOT Windows 8, 8.1.
2º.- We are talking about Steam Link users, and the problem of being exited of Big Picture mode after being prompted. If you DON'T own Steam Link you don't know what we are talking about.
3º.- By installing a NON Steam game and trying to access through Steam Link to the game you will be prompted. What you said about never installing to Program Files it's NOT true. You always will be prompted (as in my case given this path H:\Games\Star Wars-The Old Republic\launcher.exe).

So conclusion: Don't talk about subjects you are NOT qualified to talk about, please. You are bringing confusion to users. Ok? Thank you very much.

P.S.:
This thread was intended to be useful to people (specially Steam Link users), this thread was not intended to give non accurate information or trolling.

P.S. 2:
Bad-Motha, I have been reading some of your posts (your historial). Said that, I must agree with most of your comments (at least what I have read), I must also state that you are useful by contributing with your comments to make Steam community greater, for this reason I must to say thank you as a member of Steam community. But in this case you are wrong.

[[☥] - CJ -]

Actually, i dont think hes wrong at all.
regardless of what this topic is about

I always disable the UAC notifications
you know why?
Theyre annoying, and not everyone needs it to avoid malware and viruses.

[Seven7]

Hmm, annoying?!
I personally always switch the UAC to the maximum, and it does not cause any discomfort to me

message: "Hey ♥♥♥♥♥*, stop download and run trojans!"? annoys you*?!? a and then you* climb on the forums "Help! Help! Evil Gaben spreads viruses !!! 1111"

Diposting pertama kali oleh ☥ - CJ -:

not everyone needs it to avoid malware and viruses.

but... but this...

it is your* personal right, not to defend against viruses, violates my right to not be infected by viruses, so if you do not defend = you distribute = partner in crime, and should be held criminally responsible on a par with the author of the virus

*By "you" I mean the average user of such forums, as Help&Tips, treatment of viruses, Hardware & Software, etc. (Present here users know enough to protect themselves and others in other ways)

[Wampum Biskit]

Diposting pertama kali oleh Seven7:

it is your* personal right, not to defend against viruses, violates my right to not be infected by viruses, so if you do not defend = you distribute = partner in crime, and should be held criminally responsible on a par with the author of the virus

that must be the most dumbest thing i have heard in a while, it's MY choice to not have any anti virus installed and thus not being protected , it NOWHERE violates YOUR right to not be infected as you are protected.

i havent ran any anitvirus in a good 15 years , it's MY choice and yet i havent had a virus in those 15 years , but maybe thats more contributed towards common sense and the inteligence of not just blindly going everywhere on the net.

oh and my UAC is completely disabled...again it's MY choice.

[Seven7]

Diposting pertama kali oleh Seven7:

(Present here users know enough to protect themselves and others in other ways)

latest time when i'm have virus on my pc - in 2000
i'm talk about low level users, beginners, not about AV experts, technogeeks & hackers

[Bad 💀 Motha]

People who install things to Program Files will always be prompted with UAC; that is just how the OS works. Also anything that gets installed there, only allows your users to have partial rights to folders and files ther-in, not full control like you as an Admin should have by default. Why do you think Apps such as CCleaner inject a "UAC bypass" in your OS Scheduler? So the program can run as intended from within Program Files, without the user custom installing. This alone should tell users something. Not that CCleaner is malicious, but that the makers are smart enough to know just how annoying UAC is, and that it is in the way, for zero reason.

It is why so many have issues with things like Steam and Games; because they install them into Program Files, then as a result, do not have full control rights to those files/folders.

UAC is a joke and no one needs it, that is a fact. It does not prevent viruses or anything of that sort. It's a simple yes or no popup; any child even, would click YES, regardless of why its popping up, etc... this is another example of why it is pointless.

Also, MS has UAC defaulted to popup with an Overlay (in 8, 8.1, 10) and by doing that, make alot of games crash upon launch.

[[☥] - CJ -]

Diposting pertama kali oleh Bad-Motha:

People who install things to Program Files will always be prompted with UAC; that is just how the OS works. Also anything that gets installed there, only allows your users to have partial rights to folders and files ther-in, not full control like you as an Admin should have by default. Why do you think Apps such as CCleaner inject a "UAC bypass" in your OS Scheduler? So the program can run as intended from within Program Files, without the user custom installing. This alone should tell users something. Not that CCleaner is malicious, but that the makers are smart enough to know just how annoying UAC is, and that it is in the way, for zero reason.

It is why so many have issues with things like Steam and Games; because they install them into Program Files, then as a result, do not have full control rights to those files/folders.

UAC is a joke and no one needs it, that is a fact. It does not prevent viruses or anything of that sort. It's a simple yes or no popup; any child even, would click YES, regardless of why its popping up, etc... this is another example of why it is pointless.

Also, MS has UAC defaulted to popup with an Overlay (in 8, 8.1, 10) and by doing that, make alot of games crash upon launch.

Agreed.

UAC has nothing to do with virus or malware protection
is it a cautionary warning before you install software?
Sure, i suppose. but thats all it is
i see it as nothing more than an annoyance rather than helpful.

With the logic thats being thrown around this thread, that "elevated program shortcut" can be as dangerous as turning off the UAC notifications.

Instead of using something like that to supposedly get steam link and a controller to work correctly, one could easily turn off the UAC notifications and avoid having to use this socalled Shortcut altogether.

[BlackSmoke 🏴‍☠]

You both pointed a reason to make a critic against UAC, legit.

"UAC is a joke and no one needs it, that is a fact. It does not prevent viruses or anything of that sort. It's a simple yes or no popup; any child even, would click YES, regardless of why its popping up, etc... this is another example of why it is pointless"

This is basically how like Google Safe browsing Site Status works. Alerting than a site can be harmful to your computer. Is this also a matter of children clicking YES? Of course a children could click YES and get important personal files of the computer of his/her father encrypted as example, just for accesing certain sites after clicking YES.

And this basically how many antivirus or antimalware works, depending on how configured, alerting the user about certain process or file wich can be harmful. Of course a children could click YES and get again important personal files of the computer of his/her father encrypted as example, just for clicking YES to a suspicios process.

Also remember that many software companies advise the user to disable temporally the antivirus before installing their totally legit and secure software. This could let some attack not coming from the legit software being installed, but from a infected network spreading a worm.

As we can see everything it's relative and we could be arguing pros and cons against everything in this world.

A PC can't be secure by definition. Even not being connected to a network a PC can be infected. Yes, common sense, prudence (and knowing what are you doing) it's the key to maximize your security, but even so you are not secure. If a computer it's shared by more than one user (like in a family) or if a worker of a uranium enrichment facility connect an infected pendrive coming from his totally trusted manager, or even by being tired after having a bad day you can get infected. Not to mention that antivirus/antimalware software it's not perfect at all, and depending on the company you select the results deterring threats may vary greatly.

As said any complex electronic device can't be secure by definition. So, therefore we should be pragmatic, and considering UAC as what it's really, another security layer that optionally can be disabled or even configured in different levels.

This thread was merely intended to be useful for some people, and I'm totally sure that someone will find useful this thread. Your comments are irrelevant and merely subjective opinions in this case.

Regards.

[Seven7]

But why is that someone can not find information on specialized forums? Someone banned in google? In this case, someone did not find the text, especially if we are by this discussion will not keep it on the "surface" of the forum.

[Bad 💀 Motha]

No software makes you secure, that just requires common sense...

[[☥] - CJ -]

What it comes down to is
UAC in general and its annoyances is common knowledge

This thread will be buried in the black hole of old threads in a short time and wont be helpful to anyone. and as said, this info is easily found with a normal search.

[Wampum Biskit]

you know what baffles me most about all of this ?

people complain and whine about the whole MS spying and info sharing , but most people seem to be ok with MS telling you what programs you can run and which one you cannot , to me thats as bad or even worse.

[x_wing]

I completely disagree that UAC is useless. There is a big difference between not taking in count that an application being executed with admin privileges could be harmful and not having even an warning of that. Disable UAC implies that you're transforming your current login priviledged account to a complete Admin account (just like it use to be the Admin account that all users used in the XP era) and letting the execution of stealthy privileged binaries.

IMHO the biggest concern you should have is that you're letting any unknown application to be executed with admin privileges and that is one of the most dangerous thing you can do in any OS (i.e. you are letting an application do whatever he wants with your system).

Diposting pertama kali oleh SyPTo:

you know what baffles me most about all of this ?

people complain and whine about the whole MS spying and info sharing , but most people seem to be ok with MS telling you what programs you can run and which one you cannot , to me thats as bad or even worse.

Both things are completely unrelated. The UAC doesn't decides what you can execute or not in your system, UAC is just a tool in order to let you scale privileges with an unprivileged account. If you're the admin of your computer (i.e. your account is part of the admin group) you can execute whatever you want in your system. If you have problems with the "annoying" permission dialog every time you execute the same binary (i.e. you, as admin, know that the application isn't harmful), the solution is what the OP commented.