Edit files in program files

jigglywiggly

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Is there a way to do this easily without disabling uac completely in the registry since that breaks metro apps?


Basically I want to edit files freely in program files and anywhere.


I can't just right click it and hit properties -> security -> users and change them, it's locked


any ideas?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
Any File? No - MOST any file? Yes

jigglywiggly said:
Basically I want to edit files freely in program files and anywhere.

This is totally 'old school', but it's worked for me for years and years.
Download a file management program called Total Commander.

Set the created shortcut's properties to "Run As Administrator".

Configure it like in the screen shots 2&3 and F4 should open most any file to edit.
It 'defaults' to using Notepad for an Editor, but you can configure it to use
any editor[hex or otherwise] to open the file of your choosing for editing.

The occasional prompt for permissions may pop up.
When that happens, I just choose 'Allow' and I'm in like Flint.

Some files are 'locked'.

Still unable to even SEE, let alone OPEN any of those $files.
$MFT $Journal etc.....but that's probably for the best!

Total COMMANDer.png

Display Propeties.png

Operation Propeties.png
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win7-8 Dual Boot on a Commodore 64
Bypassing 'permissions' - my way ?

jigglywiggly said:
That's kind of a hack though, like avoiding the problem.

Is there a pure fix?

Not to my limited knowledge. And if there is, it would probably entail jumping
through more hoops than I would care too :(

My UAC is set to the default, and with Total Commander, most all files can be viewed/edited
without lowering the UAC, which is there for good reason.

Sooooo, I posted the above. Werks fer me :)
 
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Yeah but, I don't really want to use total commander that much. I mean in windows 7 when you disable UAC completely, everything works perfectly.

I also hate having to right click some programs and having to elevate their permisisons.

This is almost as anoyying as typing sudo for everything
I just sudo -i or su it
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
That's kind of a hack though, like avoiding the problem.

Is there a pure fix?

Not ATM as your apps run in a sand boxed environment that the uac controls (sort of) so disabling or hacking the uac would cause a security issue which is why you have to use uac for apps
 

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How do you guys even manage to live with UAC though?

Like if you have a mapped network drive say Z:\

And if you try to copy a file from Z:\ to C:\ anywhere in it, it won't let you.


If you want to make a new text document in your program files quickly, you can't w/o copying to your desktop first. I realize total commander would let you, but I'd prefer to keep explorer.


It's so inconvenient, I am so confused how more people are not driven insane by it.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
Many people do simple stuff - jab a ta square - got to fbook - bit of emailing, online shopping/banking, perhaps they use that MS Ofiice thing a bit.

They don't notice anything about the os .
 

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I am curious as to why you are constantly doing things which need elevated privileges. I rarely need elevated privs, other than when installing software, because I follow the guidelines of modern OS's, which is to keep all your files in your user profile. I see no reason why I would even want to edit text files in my program files directory. It's a place to keep executable applications, not documents.

There are certain folders that have enhanced security on them. Program Files and Windows are two of them. The extra security is there to prevent Trojans from walking all over the hard disk and infecting the computer. They're also there to protect one user from another user in multi-user environments. (Yeah yeah, I can hear you now complaining that you're the only one that uses it.. that doesn't change the fact that others do and the defaults are there to protect that situation).

You mention sudo, and that's a good comparison. Unix does the same thing. They make folders like /usr, /boot, etc.. so that only the elevated administrator can access them, and they do it for similar reasons.
 

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Yeah except the first thing I do is login to the root account from my current user and leave it that way.

E.g steam games, I want to play with my ini files constantly.

Or when I install programs like openvpn, like I have to right click the application and hit run as administrator or I have to right click the shortcut > go to compatability and tell it to run the program as administrator.

That's just extra work I don't want to deal with.

The last thing I want to get is some program to not work and then later I realize I had to run it as administrator >.>
 

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System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
Yeah except the first thing I do is login to the root account from my current user and leave it that way.

And you would be ridiculed for doing so in any Linux forum.

E.g steam games, I want to play with my ini files constantly.

I would say that Steam is violating the Windows software guidelines for putting configuration files in protected areas. I would complain to them for setting up their system in such a way. And I would complain loudly, or they will keep doing it.

What you could do, is create a hard link to a file stored in a non-protected location, such as in your user profile. Then you can edit the file without having to compromise the security of your system.

Or when I install programs like openvpn, like I have to right click the application and hit run as administrator or I have to right click the shortcut > go to compatability and tell it to run the program as administrator.

Again, you are using broken software that fails to follow the design guidelines of the computer it runs on. I would complain to the vendor.

If smashing your hand with a hammer every time you wanted to do something was a problem, would you find a way to make the hammer softer? Or would you find a different way to do it?

That's just extra work I don't want to deal with.

The last thing I want to get is some program to not work and then later I realize I had to run it as administrator >.>

I would suggest that if you're swimming upstream, you go to the shore and start walking. Not swim harder.
 

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    Antec SOLO II
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    Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000
    Mouse
    Logitech MX
Yeah except the first thing I do is login to the root account from my current user and leave it that way.

And you would be ridiculed for doing so in any Linux forum.

E.g steam games, I want to play with my ini files constantly.

I would say that Steam is violating the Windows software guidelines for putting configuration files in protected areas. I would complain to them for setting up their system in such a way. And I would complain loudly, or they will keep doing it.

What you could do, is create a hard link to a file stored in a non-protected location, such as in your user profile. Then you can edit the file without having compromise the security of your system.

Or when I install programs like openvpn, like I have to right click the application and hit run as administrator or I have to right click the shortcut > go to compatability and tell it to run the program as administrator.

Again, you are using broken software that fails to follow the design guidelines of the computer it runs on. I would complain to the vendor.

If smashing your hand with a hammer every time you wanted to do something was a problem, would you find a way to make the hammer softer? Or would you find a different way to do it?

That's just extra work I don't want to deal with.

The last thing I want to get is some program to not work and then later I realize I had to run it as administrator >.>

I would suggest that if you're swimming upstream, you go to the shore and start walking. Not swim harder.
??
Steam doesn't care about Windows. They are on every platform, and it's up to the game designers how they want to implement their configurable files.

About Linux
I never said I logged in as root
I said I just elevate my current account as root and leave it there till I log out.
Who wants to type a 50 character password everytime they want to apt-update?
Nobody.

UAC is garbage, I don't need it. I just want a way to take control of my whole C:\ drive w/o losing metro apps. I like that mail app a lot.

That's all I'm asking, I am sure there is a way somehow.
 

My Computer

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  • OS
    Windows 8
Steam doesn't care about Windows. They are on every platform, and it's up to the game designers how they want to implement their configurable files.

Then if the problem is related to a specific game, why did you say steam? Either the problem is steam's, or it's the game designers, but either way, they are violating the guidelines. Regardless of that, I gave you a workable solution.

I never said I logged in as root
I said I just elevate my current account as root and leave it there till I log out.
Who wants to type a 50 character password everytime they want to apt-update?
Nobody.

They are effectively the same thing. And you would still be ridiculed in any Linux forum for doing that.

How many times per day do you apt-update? Anything beyond once a week seems excessive to me.

UAC is garbage, I don't need it. I just want a way to take control of my whole C:\ drive w/o losing metro apps. I like that mail app a lot.

That's all I'm asking, I am sure there is a way somehow.

There is no way to do so without compromising the security of your computer.

If you're bound and determined, you would do exactly what you would do in Linux, and that's changing the permissions of the folder to allow your account full control. Good luck with that, though. You'll probably be back her in a few months yelling about how bad security is because you got a virus.
 

My Computer

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  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro
    CPU
    Intel i7 3770K
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte Z77X-UD4 TH
    Memory
    16GB DDR3 1600
    Graphics Card(s)
    nVidia GTX 650
    Sound Card
    Onboard Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Auria 27" IPS + 2x Samsung 23"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440 + 2x 2048x1152
    Hard Drives
    Corsair m4 256GB, 2 WD 2TB drives
    Case
    Antec SOLO II
    Keyboard
    Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000
    Mouse
    Logitech MX
I haven't gotten a virus in several years.
On any OS.

I don't think I've gotten a virus since I was 12.

With or without AV.
People who get viruses probably shouldn't even be using a computer in the first place. I realize there are unavoidable circumstances if a case where a website gets hacked, but chrome will usually give you a warning first, and web of trust.

IDC what the neckbeards think(linux forum ;p). A whole lot of them were against Steam coming to Linux as well.
I am not running a server on my desktop, on my freebsd server for my stuff, I do all the correct security measures diff accounts for different services, etc.
And yes I realize I could just chmod it in Linux, this isn't Linux, why are we talking about Linux?



I just want this fixed -,-
 
Last edited:

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